Asunta Rufino's Travels Thru Life...

A Molecular Cuisine at THE GOOSE STATION

2012-01-14T21:49:00.000-08:00

The Goose Station is one of the best fine-dining restaurants in Metro Manila today. It was opened 2 years ago at Fort Bonifacio. Owned, operated and conceived by one of the founders of Global Academy Roberto Pengson and his wife Sunshine Puey Pengson. Roberto ( or Rob ) Pengson trained at California Culinary Academy and used to host the culinary show Chef to Go. The Goose Station was built around the concept of the degustation or a tasting menu... the staff of the Goose Station is comprised of his top students... The dining area is rather small and intimate.....which can sit only 25 persons.... I would advise you to call and reserve if you are planning to eat at The Goose Station..... it is a great venue for special occasions or one of those romantic evenings.

At The Goose Station their menu changes every three months. There is an ala-carte menu, You can either choose the four course Express Menu ( PHP 1,500.00 to PHP 1,800.00 ) or their Signature Menu ( PHP 2,500.00 ), a ten course menu that combines a sampling of their current chef’s recommendations.

You might wonder.. WHAT IS MOLECULAR GASTRONOMY??

" It refers to experimental restaurant cooking driven by the desire of modern cooks to explore the world's wide variety of ingredients, tools and techniques. " In other words --- Molecular gastronomy or Molecular cuisine is a modern way of cooking in which chefs explore new culinary possibilities in the kitchen concocting surprise after surprise for their diners.

My first time to sample the dishes at The Goose Station was almost 3 weeks ago, when Vivian, a good friend of mine invited me for lunch... I simply loved the food... and planned to go back there and bring my family for a degustacion dinner or rather a molecular cuisine experience..

A few days ago--- I started to check out The Goose Station on the internet... On the restaurant's homepage, the chefs described their restaurant as " a venue to express a personal cuisine that is both locally inspired and globally influenced". Their guests are encouraged to "arrive with an open mind and an appetite for something new." So that was what I told my children.... " let's have a molecular experience at the Goose Station! "

In order to try as many dishes -- my sons, Tom and Iggy decided to order the Signature Classics while my daughters-in-law, Maite, Cris and I opted on the Express Menu. Every time a new dish was served-- we would take a little sample of the dish...

Here was what we had:

We all started with their appetizers ..

FOIE GRAS CONE

this is a must TRY!! The cone was made of filo pastry filled with whipped foie gras mousse topped with a dollop of fruit jam and macadamia nut.

SWEET CORN, JAMON CROQUETA and POTATO CHIP PANE

When this trio was served the maitre d' advised us to start with the potato chip first and work our way to the sweet corn.. The presentation was equally brillant --- a pane of the potato chip (yes, you can almost see through it -- I could not imagine how they can slice a potato this thin ) served in a decorative clip. The jamon croqueta was not as salty as I wanted it to be.. in fact as you bite the croqueta --you will immediately taste a creamy smooth mixture of truffle oil and minced bits of the ham rolled on a lightly breaded mashed potato. The dish I liked the best was the one in the shot glass.... It was something which resembled a warm mais con hielo with a sweet creamy coconut texture at the top and soft chewy glutinous rice at the bottom.

EGGS BENEDICT

This is their take on the classic EGGS BENEDICT we all know. They served it on a martini glass. It is slow cooked egg ( poached egg ) with brown butter hollandaise sauce, a dash of truffle oil and a bacon tulle on the side of the glass. You’re supposed to mix the whole thing up and scoop it spoon by spoon into your mouth.

( top view )

CAVIAR PARFAIT

We all loved this one!! You should try it.... It is cauliflower panna cotta with crab jelly tapioca and bits of crab and sea urchin ( uni ) and topped with caviar.

SOUP

Porcini with spiced chestnut, goat cheese and black olive powder.When this dish was delivered we were surprised why it didn't have any broth?? Then the maitre d' walked over and slowly poured the porcini broth into the dish.... I loved the broth!!! the wonderful flavor of porcini with a dash of truffle oil just bursts in your mouth. The different textures of this dish was a dream come true. I could not imagine how you can mix chestnuts, goat cheese and porcini mushrooms in one single dish. I highly recommend this dish!

GARDEN SALAD

I liked this dish the most.... with the photo I took below... let me try to explain this dish as best as I can.....

It is a salad of red beets and carrots with micro greens served with thin slices of oranges, cashew nuts and on each side of the plate are little dots of pea alioli... The red dollap you see at the left side of the photo is a red beet sorbet which I thought was very good while the orange roll you see in the middle is carrot jelly with Davao goat's cheese in it... You have to eat the carrot jelly with goat's cheese first mixed with some micro greens and pea alioli and then finish it off with the red beet sorbet...

Now let us all go to the main courses we ordered:

Tom and Iggy ordered the 24 HOUR STEAK.

( close up view )

It is USDA short rib served with worcestershire jus, truffle oil mashed potatoes and crispy onions. This is the most sought after dish in THE GOOSE STATION. I would give this dish a 5 star rating!! being a meat lover--- this dish was simply delicious!!! The meat was cooked just right. it was very tender and juicy. Although they gave us steak knives --- we did not have to use them.

I ordered FIDEUA NEGRA with SCALLOPS.

In this dish they used imported scallops which had a soft fleshy texture and delicately mild sweet flavor combined with fidelini pasta ( It is a pasta variety that is cut into very fine strands slightly thicker than vermicelli ) cooked in black squid ink. Topped with a slice of Spanish morcilla, angulas ( baby eels ) and diced red peppers. On the side were dots of lemon curd and anchovy alioli.

The only drawback on this dish is that you might end up getting your teeth black from the squid ink...

Maite ordered SOUS VIDE WAGYU CHEESEBURGER.

Their Wagyu Cheeseburger is another must TRY at THE GOOSE STATION. Aside from using Wagyu beef to make the patty, their cheese was no ordinary cheese. They used raclette and combined it with cornichons, sliced tomatoes and onions. Like any other cheeseburger -- It came with fries but with a twist --- they made black olive fries. They had dijon mayonnaise on round ceramic cups.

and CRIS had DUCK CONFIT

This dish had sweet, sour and sharp notes. By using black currant jelly as their sweet note, horseradish potato puree as the sharp and whole grain mustard for the sharp tangy taste. The duck meat was very tender. Their duck confit sat on a bed of black kidney beans ( that is our very own kadyos ) and string beans to add color to the dish.

The best part..... the dessert!!! We were able to try out all their desserts....

The deconstructed BLUEBERRY CHEESECAKE

It is made up of cream cheese foam topped with different kinds of berries, apple and burnt marshmallows served in a ceramic bowl. It was very light and whimsical.

THE CHOCOLATE CANDY BAR

The Goose Station’s signature dessert and the perfect dessert finish a good dining experience. Earl Grey flavored crispies topped with praline hazelnut cream and dark chocolate covered with fine chocolate powder. The creamy consistency and fulfilling sweetness is heavenly. This is perfect for all chocolate lovers ---

STRAWBERRY ICE

Served in a martini glass...paper thin slices of strawberry with granita, smoked compote, chips and topped with creme anglaise --- Do you know what is creme anglaise?? It is a light pouring custard commonly used as a dessert cream. At The Goose Station their creme anglaise had a different twist in it... they blended a mixture of sugar, egg yolks and hot milk flavoured with cardamon.

VACHERIN

Vacherin ( pronounced vahsh-er-AHN ) is a French dessert comprising stacked meringue rings that are sometimes placed atop a pastry base. In their dish seen below ... The light and crisp rings are then filled with coconut-vanilla panna cotta, chico jam, calamansi and mango.

Last but not the least....... they served us BURGER MIGNERDISES... which looked like chocolate macaroons. These mignerdises are usually served at the end of your dessert with a cup of coffee.. I was too full and was not able to taste this dish .... but all my kids liked it.

Dining at The Goose Station was absolutely worth the experience for us. We agreed that it was not the kind of thing we would like to have on a regular basis. But on special occasions like last night ( we celebrated our delayed NEW YEARS DAY DINNER celebration ) --- it was indeed worth the wait...What I noticed at the Goose Station was a lot of the dishes we tried out had truffle oil in it.. It did not bother us having the truffle oil on some of our dishes... In fact we like the aroma and taste of truffle oil. I must admit that the food at The Goose Station is exquisite and very good that you will have a hard time of knowing which dish you like to order. Yes, The Goose Station perhaps is a little pricey compared to other upscale restaurants in Manila..... but it really is worth it!!

If you are bored eating at the same restaurant all the time and knowing what you eat. Then it's time to head to The Goose Station where the chefs will make their own "degustation" for you. By sampling their dishes --( 8-10 small dishes ) I am sure your tongue will have the best time of it's life. Cheers to Rob and Sunshine Pengson! Cheers to THE GOOSE STATION !!

THE GOOSE STATION

G/F W Tower
39th St. Fort Bonifacio Global City,
Taguig City, Philippines

For Reservations contact: +632 556 9068
cellphone number +63917 85 GOOSE

Mondays through Saturdays 6 - 9 in the evening

ENJOYING CHINESE FUSION AT HENRY'S PLACE

2011-12-12T15:09:00.000-08:00

With Christmas just around the corner, I am always searching for new places to eat where I can have quality bonding time with my family. With so many new restaurants these days in Makati, it makes one have a difficult time choosing where to have a truly satisfying meal matched with efficient service.

I rarely venture out to Bonifacio Global City ( BGC ) because of the heavy traffic going to and from that area. Today was an exception, I was going to have lunch with my former schoolmates and we were treating our classmate, Vangie, who flew in from the States. Our destination was ---- HENRY'S PLACE at Burgos Circle.

When the name of the restaurant was mentioned to me, HENRY'S PLACE did not ring a bell... but when I found out that it was the former GOOD EARTH restaurant of Chef Henry Cheung, I knew it was not going to be typical Chinese cuisine. I had dined a couple of times at GOOD EARTH at THE FORT STRIP and I enjoyed my meal every time I would go there. The food served at GOOD EARTH was very tasty, and they do not use MSG that usually makes us drowsy at the end of the meal. At GOOD EARTH---- they served a lot of greens and none of the usual oil which is characteristic of Chinese cuisine.

When I got out of my car -- I almost couldn't believe HENRY'S PLACE was a Chinese restaurant. From the outside, there was no hint of anything Chinese in this place. There were no lanterns hanging at the entrance door, no red and gold decor you would find in Chinese restaurants...One of the first things I noticed was that it looked like a very small place. The first floor could only house a couple of tables, but the second floor was more spacious. I loved the clean and casual feel of the place.

Being the first one to arrive, I decided to check out their menu. Going through Henry's menu, I noticed that it was exactly the same as that of Good Earth, with all- time favorites such as hot and sour soup, sauteed chicken with pine nuts, shantung spicy chicken and of course popoy's delight. The prices have remained the same as well--- considering inflation and the overall quality of the food and the place, every dish was worth it.

Here was what we had:

ASADO ROLL

Roast pork stuffing on an oven toasted roll...

LILY ON THE POND
If you haven't tried it yet.... this is the best appetizer at Henry's Place. I also gave thumbs up for the presentation. Lily on the pond is a serving of bite-sized rounds of prawns with minced water chestnuts and Chinese mushrooms sandwiched in between thick layers of eggplant and laid out on a shallow pool of thick sweet and spicy dark curry. Believe me.... it is a MUST TRY!

DUCKQUITOS
The duckquitos was exactly as how I remembered it!! Shredded duck with thin slices of shitake mushrooms and scallions served in crispy bite-sized taco shells topped with hoisin and tartar sauce. This is also a must try!

POPOY'S DELIGHT
is the most popular dish at HENRY'S PLACE. It is steamed fish fillet dish with light soy sauce and fish broth with Yunan ham. I liked this one since the light flavors give contrast and provide your tastebuds a break from the other flavor-packed dishes.

SHANGHAI CHILI PRAWNS

SAUTEED SPINACH WITH STEWED TOMATOES

SHANTUNG CHICKEN
Another MUST TRY. Chunky crispy chicken with bell peppers and cashew nuts in a special Char Siu Sauce.

I would rate HENRY'S PLACE a 5 star!! The ambiance was exquisite and the food presentation was really impressive. I loved the decor of the place... It had pristine white, frosted glass interiors with cool celadon green touches. The prices on the menu are reasonable. I recommend that you try out Henry’s classic dishes that have made him famous!!! Let's all go to HENRY'S PLACE at BURGOS CIRCLE....

HOW TO GET THERE :

( courtesy of google maps )

From 32nd Street coming from the side of EDSA, turn right at Rizal Drive ( landmark-- Jollibee ). Go straight, then make another right turn at the third intersection. You will see Burgos Circle a short distance ahead.

HENRY'S PLACE by GOOD EARTH

Burgos Circle, Forbes Town Center

Bonifacio Global City, Taguig

Contact numbers +632 403 3250/ 403 2203

+63926 909 8515

BALAI ISABEL - A perfect hideaway

2011-12-01T04:37:00.000-08:00

Less than two-hour drive from Manila, awaits the splendor of this beautiful hideaway which offers an upclose and personal view of the lake and the taal volcano. CLUB BALAI ISABEL is approximately an hour and a half away from Manila. Driving on the new addition of the South Luzon Expressway ( SLEX ) and just a few kilometers away from the first exit of star toll.. travel to the sleepy town of Talisay and you are there.

CLUB BALAI ISABEL or BALAI ISABEL for short, is located on the shores of the world-famous Taal Lake and across from its volcano. It is a place where you can relax, commune with nature.

BALAI ISABEL'S amenities and facilities make it definitely an excellent choice for holidays, special occasions or bonding time with your family..... Enjoy typical Batangas cuisine served at the TERRAZA CAFE. You can take a refreshing dip in their infinity pools ( there are 2 infinity pools )... hang out in the cabanas, enjoy water sports such as kayaking and sailing, or take a boat ride and get a closer look at Taal Volcano’s crater on horseback.

Unfortunately when I went there with the CINEMATICONCEPTS TEAM... we were doing a prenup photo shoot, I could not even try out my luck on the kayak nor could I go sailing to Taal Volcano. We arrived at BALAI ISABEL almost 2 o'clock in the afternoon we decided to have lunch at TERRAZA RESTAURANT.

We wanted to try their Maliputo but they ran out of Maliputo by the time we got there... Do you know what is MALIPUTO?? Maliputo is a delectable fish with a firm flesh and a very rare delicacy in Batangas. The fish can be served as simple as charcoal broiled with a dash of kalamansi and bagoong balayan ( Batangas' answer to our filipino fish paste- Bagoong). Unfortunately the maliputo fish is in the merge of extinction, with the proliferation of tilapia fish cages. Maliputo is commonly cooked around the province as sinigang (cooked by slow boiling with unripe tamarind and assorted vegetables)... but i recommend that when ordering Maliputo it is at its best when it is cooked over charcoal. We ended ordering these dishes instead... which is also good!!

TAWILIS - is a freshwater fish found only in Taal Lake.

The TAWILIS is one of the most sought after fish dish in most parts of Batangas because of its good taste. And the batangueños has different ways in cooking the endemic fish from Taal Lake.

The most common and very popular among restaurants around Batangas is the fried and crispy tawilis. Usually served with bagoong Balayan (anchovy) with unripe mangoes, tomatoes and onions. However some prefer to dip it with vinegar. And eaten from head to tail.

Another common recipe among the local folks in Batangas is the sinaing na pinais na tawilis ( boiled and wrapped in banana leaves tawilis fish). The fish is cook for a couple of hours in an earthen pot with low heat until the tawilis fish is soft and tender to eat. The fish can be eaten from head to tail, and usually eaten with a side dish of grilled eggplant with tomatoes, onions, vinegar, and bagoong balayan (anchovy).

CHICKEN BINAKOL - is a delicious chicken soup dish. It is similar to Chicken Tinola, although the use of of coconut meat and coconut water makes this dish unique.

There are traditional methods of cooking Chicken Binakol. It requires using native chicken which is simmered for several hours. The meat of native chicken is tougher than regular dressed chicken, but it has more flavor. Simmering native chicken longer makes the meat tender and releases all the flavors.

Did you know that original chicken binakol is cooked in bamboo? It is said that cooking this dish in bamboo seals-in the flavor, but it is fine if you don’t have a bamboo to cook this with you can use your aluminum pots.

ADOBONG TAAL

BULANGLANG BATANGAS

Bulanglang is typically composed of a variety of vegetable tops ( like camote tops, sili leaf), edible blossoms ( banana blossom, papaya blossom ), caturay, calabasa flower, etc., whichever is conveniently available at the time of cooking. The vegetables may be purchased from the local wet market or harvested directly from backyard gardens.

If you want a relaxing place to enjoy a vacation with family or friends away from the hustle and bustle of the city..... Where you can freely walk barefooted, inhale fresh air, be with nature and pray in a quiet church....this is the right place. Remember the name.... CLUB BALAI ISABEL.

TIP:
* Ask for a map of the resort so you would know where to go because it's a big place.

HOW TO GET TO CLUB BALAI ISABEL:

1. On South Luzon Expressway ( SLEX ), simply go straight past the end of the highway and straight to the STAR Tollway.

2. Go up the ramp at the Tanauan City exit and turn right. You are now on the National Highway.

3. Follow the road going to Talisay.

4. When you reach the town proper of Talisay, go straight ahead.

5. Club Balai Isabel is 500 meters from the town proper on your left side. If you see the second bridge, then you have gone past the resort.

CLUB BALAI ISABEL

Address: Barangay Banga, Talisay, Batangas
Cellphone : 0917-504 4157 / 0917-872 1512

Makati Office -
Telephone : 897 0229 / 393 8337

Website: www.balaiisabel.com

MAMOU on my mind !

2011-11-24T21:27:00.000-08:00

I am definitely a CERTIFIED MEAT LOVER!! I love discovering new places that serves good steaks --So far--- I have only 2 places that would come into my mind when the word STEAK is mentioned... MAMOU at Serendra, Bonifacio Global City and I AM ANGUS at Yakal Street. These places KNOW THEIR BUSINESS when it comes to STEAKS! MAMOU is not exactly a new find for me.... I discovered MAMOU in Serendra a few years ago through my friend, Germs, and we had been going there at least once a month for our STEAK BINGE. MAMOU is usually very busy during lunch so we would always try to get there before the lunch crowd would come in... Annie Gutierrez, a friend and co-owner of Mamou would manage to have a small table for us every time we go to MAMOU.

Recently I was at the Power Plant with my son, Iggy and his wife Cris, for a meeting and we decided to have dinner in that area. Cris suggested we try MAMOU TOO. She heard good reviews about MAMOU TOO. I told her I have been dining at MAMOU at Serendra and if it is the same one --- IT MUST BE GOOD!!

As soon as we got there --- I asked one of the waiters if MAMOU TOO was a branch of Serendra -- when they said it was... I immediately knew what to order.... I did not even have to look through their menu... I knew exactly what I wanted..

We all shared:

MAMOU TOO'S GREEN SALAD --- tossed greens with cherry tomatoes, anchovies and lemon dressing.

ANGUS RIB EYE - I asked for the 800 grams cut which is good for 3 - 4 persons -- and asked them to make our steak Medium Rare... MAMOU TOO did not disappoint me!!! It was perfectly cooked! Seared on the outside and pink on the inside! You do not need to put sauce to your steak.... it was very juicy! I just loved it! Mamou's steaks are SUPERB!

I ordered STEAK RED RICE and CREAMED SPINACH as our side dishes- do not forget to order their famous steak red rice... it is to die for!!!! It had small crispy cubes of left over fat from your steak..... I highly recommend the steak red rice.

for dessert we had the KEY LIME PIE with whipped cream

MAMOU is definitely a winner when it comes to mouth-watering steaks!! A bit on the pricey side but it is worth the extra pound you gain after dining in Mamou... Don't forget the name.... MAMOU TOO for the best tasting steaks in Manila!! MAMOU .... you will be always on my mind!

MAMOU

Unit 1C - 15 G/F Serendra, Fort Bonifacio Heights, Fort Bonifacio, Philippines
telephone: +632-856-3569 or +632-909-5741
mobile: +63917-8162668

MAMOU TOO !

L R1 148A, Rockwell Power Plant Mall, Makati City
telephone: +632-822-6218
mobile: +63917-8062668
email: mamou@info.com.ph

CERVESERIA a modern tapas bar in Makati

2011-11-22T16:34:00.000-08:00

Last summer while I was on my annual vacation in the States, my friend Vernie Navarro asked me to try out a restaurant located at the Greenbelt 3 Mall in Makati.... The name was CERVESERIA. It was her cousin's, Gilbert Panganiban new venture into Spanish cuisine. Since I love Spanish cuisine --- it wasn't hard to convince me to try out the place. She said, " try it out --- it is a Tapas Bar --- and it is not hard to find... It was where EBUN was located at the Mall near HAVANA." I assured her I will try it out when I get back to Manila.

During the long weekend break, Iggy and Cris tried out the Tapas in Cerveseria ---- they were so impressed by the tapas they ordered, Iggy decided to invite the family ( Tom, Maite and me ) to have dinner at Cerveseria.... to celebrate the birthday of his wife, Cris.

As I entered Cerveseria, I noticed their decor. The interiors consisted of heavy wood with baroque details; wrought iron chandeliers which look like candelabras with candle drippings hang from the ceiling, a bright red curtain hang by the glass walls and there stood in one corner a steel frame bookcase with old-school hardbound books with bottles of wine in between them. There were wood dining tables that had glass tops baring "laminated" strips of black lace. The setting reminded me of the bars in Spain. The ambience was simply perfect!!!

As we were ushered to our table, Iggy ordered a bottle of wine and we checked out their tapas menu. My kids opted to try out unique dishes that we have not ordered in the other Spanish restaurants. This was what we decided on:

SETAS SHIMEJI FRITAS - breaded golden mushrooms deep fried in olive oil served with ailoli dressing. This dish is a must TRY !!

SUKIMI CON SALOR A ANGULAS AL AJILLO - We all loved this dish. It was baby angulas ( eels ) sauteed in olive oil and topped with crisp garlic.

MIGAS - it is COCHINILLO slices with day old french bread cut in cubes, pamplona chorizo and grapes.

MORCILLA with raisins and pine nuts - another favorite. The raisins in this dish tempered the spiciness of the morcilla ( blood sausage )..

NAVAJOS ALA PLANCHA - Baby razor clams, chorizo and white wine sauteed in olive oil. This was the first time I tried razor clams cooked the Spanish way. Prior to this, I thought that the only way cooking razor clams was the Chinese way which is cooking it with black bean sauce... This dish was indeed a revelation!!! In fact it was so good that I had to get a piece of their complimentary homemade bread and swipe it on the platter to get the rich flavor of the dish... you must try this out!!

BAKED SEA BASS with chorizo, clams and herbs - this dish is a family favorite in a restaurant along Nicanor Garcia Street in Bel- Air Village, Makati... The only difference it was baked the Italian way which was cooked in white wine and wrapped in foil. Nevertheless, the Sea Bass was very good!!

When I go out with my family for dinner... We always make sure that there will always be room for our dessert -- we like to cap our meals with something sweet.... like

CREMA CATALANA - The Spanish version of " FRENCH BRULEE ".

CANONIGO - The canonigo is the perfect dessert to take after large, filling meals. It’s flavorful enough to complement the saltiness of the main course, yet very light on the stomach. It is the Spanish version of the French dessert called Ile flottante or floating island.

You should try out CERVESERIA !!! The food, the ambience says it all. I will definitely come back to try out their other dishes.

BRAVA CEVESERIA !!!!

CERVESERIA

Ground Floor Greenbelt 3, Ayala Center

Makati City

Tel. No. 757-4791

My Unique Finds at the ULTIMATE TASTE TEST 7.0

2011-11-17T23:25:00.000-08:00

It is that time of the year when our very own Foodie Guru, Anton Diaz, of OUR AWESOME PLANET makes everyone a Foodie Critic for his ULTIMATE TASTE TEST 7.0..... Once again, Anton gathered all the amateur chefs for an Ultimate Taste Test. The location??? MERCATO CENTRALE at the Bonifacio Global City. If you still haven't joined in any of these food taste testing ---- you are missing a lot!! Let me share with you what to expect once you join the ULTIMATE TASTE TEST. You will have to register as one of the " food critics " for the event. They will give you a " passport " wherein you will carry with you as you go from one booth to the other and rate the food you have tried. As you exit you will have to surrender your " passport " at the reception area where they will tally your votes. All the points will be validated at the end of the event and the winner will be announced by OUR AWESOME PLANET. Did it sound very easy to do?? YES?? I don't think so!! The hassle was ---- you are not the ONLY one doing this... you will be with a thousand " one-night food critics "... that meant only one thing... long waiting lines on each table. But let me tell you .... it's worth the wait!!! There are definitely some good finds!!

I joined the CINEMATICONCEPTS Team to document the entire affair. In between shots --- I did my own tasting of the dishes that was served and interviewed some of the " future chefs "....

The last time I joined the CINEMATICONCEPTS team on the ULTIMATE TASTE TEST was 2 years ago.... It was an eye-opener!! There were some really good AMATEUR chefs ! I stressed on the word AMATEUR because almost all of the participants were newbies ... and what made them try out their luck in the food industry was their passion for cooking.

This year's ULTIMATE TASTE TEST had a lot of delectable desserts ( just in time for the Christmas season), homemade ice-creams and mochis, and a few savory dishes. Unlike the last Ultimate taste test I went to --- I chose my favorite dishes --- this time --- I decided to look for unique dishes that were being offered --- and here is what I found...

TILAPIA ICE CREAM

Can you imagine our very own Tilapia converted into ice cream??? yes, I cringed when they offered me a cone... I couldn't imagine tasting Tilapia on my ice cream! But after I interviewed DANA VERA CRUZ, the developer of the ice cream... I tried it ... it was VERY VERY GOOD!!

I tasted the tilapia flakes I was so impressed that there was no tilapia after taste.. Dana told me that the tilapia aftertaste was crossed out by the other ingredients ( walnuts, cheese and cream ) she added to her ice cream. This ice cream is definitely a MUST TRY!!!!

By the way, you can make this ice cream at home... According to Dana, “ It can be done at home. It can be a boost to the tilapia market, ” she said. All one has to do is to steam the tilapia, flake its meat, and mix it in all-purpose cream, condensed milk, ground walnut and cheese. The mixture should be frozen overnight and served in cones or cups. " I might try it out one of these days and if you are as adventurous as I am when it comes to food.... I am sure you would like to try it out yourself and let me know what you think about it!

SUPER POWER SMOOTHIES by the TREE OF LIFE WELLNESS CENTER

Another eye- opener was the booth of TREE OF LIFE WELLNESS CENTER. The first thing that entered my mind was... " What are they doing in a taste test??"... As I lined up along with the other food critics -- I noticed they were handing out small paper cups with green liquid in it... According to their project coordinator , that green liquid is their " power smoothie ". It is an all natural smoothie that is very good for detoxing our system... Its ingredients consists of blended camote, bananas and mango. This smoothie is good to last for 2 days in your refrigerator... A glass of this smoothie costs 100 pesos, and you can take as much as 2 to 3 glasses a day. They offer this smoothie as part of their natural healing process at the Tree of Life Wellness Center. She called it Hydrocolonics. I asked her to explain to me what are the benefits of Hydrocolonics... and this is what she said, " Hydrocolonics helps eliminate toxic materials from the lining of our colon. By taking the juice --- it enables our body to flush out the toxins that have been stored in our body. It is more potent than any medication without the toxic effect of drugs".

What got me so intrigued with their smoothie was that they said that you can lose some weight. They showed me their handouts and there were even testimonials of 2 women one age 19 who lost 19lbs. in a month and a elderly woman in her 80's who drank the smoothie to cure her ailment...

They are very new in the market --- When I asked them where can we get the smoothie --- they told me that --- they are selling their smoothie only at the center.. This was their first time to join such event to introduce their power smoothie. With the tremendous response to their power smoothie --- they are going to have a booth very soon here in Makati... If you want to look slim and feel healthy---- I recommend that you try out their power smoothie!!!

DETOXIFY YOUR BODY... BE HEALTHY .. BE HAPPY!!!

To the organizers of the ULTIMATE TASTE TEST .... The brains behind OUR AWESOME PLANET and THE ULTIMATE TASTE TEST, Anton Diaz and Spanky Enriquez... YOU have done it again!!! CONGRATULATIONS!!

TILL THE NEXT ULTIMATE TASTE TEST !!!

Contact numbers for:

TILAPIA ICE CREAM

contact person: Dana Vera Cruz
www.chivescafe@yahoo.com
cellphone : +63906 - 384 - 3707

TREE OF LIFE WELLNESS CENTER

103 Washington St. Merville Park Sudivision
Paranaque City
www.treeoflifewellness.com/index.ph
Telephone number - 776 3742
881 4028

LECHON DEGUSTACION BY PEPITA'S KITCHEN

2011-10-15T06:42:00.000-07:00

Have you ever gone to a Lechon Degustacion??? This was my first time to try it and I enjoyed every dish that was served to us.

What is Degustation?? It is a French culinary term that refers to sampling an array of small dishes served one after the other. Savoring the food with all the senses, appreciating the ingredients and the technical skills of the Chef. Degustation menus are a popular option in restaurants today and a degustation meal often takes place over the course of several hours. Restaurateurs and chefs love showing off their talents, and one of the ways in which they can best do this is by offering a menu de degustation, literally, a "tasting menu" in which a meal can consist of as many as ten or twelve different courses. Often these meals are matched with wines.

A few days ago I was invited to attend a Degustacion at Dedet Santos' house ( the owner of Pepita's Kitchen ) in Magallanes Village together with a group of certified foodies and food bloggers. Dedet called earlier in the day and said --- " Please join us tonight at my house.. We are going to have a LECHON DEGUSTACION DINNER which I think will be one of the best dinners you will have this year--- Dinner time is at 7:00pm -- we will start on time !".... I asked what she was going to prepare... she told me she will be serving 4 LECHONS " Cuchinillo " with 4 different kinds of Lechon stuffing... yes, she was able to concoct a lot of versions of stuffings for the LECHON ( in fact she has at least 10 kinds of stuffings for her LECHON ) --- and a " FEW " more dishes... I took the word " FEW " at face value..I was in for a surprise!!! We had a total of 15 dishes to try out and I was surprised I was able to last till the end..

Since I was the first one to arrive, I was able to take some photos while Dedet explained the process of cooking her lechon...... Out in her patio stood 8 mini brick ovens where her lechons were being cooked. During my interview with Dedet -- she told me she had these mini ovens specially made for her lechons. The size of her pigs are usually 7 kilos ( which can feed at least 12 persons ) and 14 kilos ( which can serve 20 persons ). It takes 2 hours to cook one lechon.

In the photo below you would wonder why the ears are covered with foil.... Dedet explained that they would wrap the ears of the pig with foil because the ears cook faster.

As soon as the other guests arrived ---- we all took our seats at the dinner table and after a short introduction .... the dishes started to come out. To make our experience more enjoyable for us foodies and food bloggers, Dedet decided to play a little game throughout our meal..... Our main objective that evening was to try and guess what was the main ingredient of certain dishes that was served to us, and if we were able to guess it--- we were rewarded with a homemade special LECHON BREAD...

Here was what we had:

For starters we had 2 kinds of Pate...

PINOY PATE which was our very own BALUT. It was very tasty. According to Dedet, she pureed the whole Balut and mixed it with olive oil and some spices. The texture was very smooth.

and PINOY CAVIAR - which was made of fish roe ( bihod ) combined with olive oil.

BALUT SALPICAO - I loved this dish... It was Balut sauteed in olive oil with tons of garlic in it..

then came another interesting dish.... RELLENONG BULAKLAK . These are deep-fried squash flowers with kesong puti ( white Laguna cheese ) with anchovies.

( before )

( after )

The Four Lechons we tried out were :

CHRISTMAS LECHON - The stuffing was made out of chestnuts, mushrooms, cashews and sticky rice.

PINOY LECHON - the stuffing was made out of binagoongan. Her other version of the PINOY LECHON ... the other stuffing is Sisig.

GERMAN LECHON - this lechon is popular with foreigners. The stuffing for the German lechon is baby potatoes, whole garlic and herbs.

FRENCH LECHON - this was the best lechon stuffing I ever tasted!!!! The stuffing was made out of truffles, mushrooms and cashew nuts... She paired this dish with PINOY CARBONARA - which was pasta with carbonara sauce but instead of using grated cheese she used ground chicharon. what a combination!!!

In between these lechons we were given CALAMANSI SHERBET and SABACHARA ( it is young saba which she made into achara ).

and CHOLESTEROL SWEEPER - it is oatmeal cooked with chocolate just like champorado. I liked this dish...

Ileya, Dedet's daughter, prepared her famous DARNA'S SURPRISE which is the answer to Harry Potter's Butter Beer.

for dessert.... we had 2 kinds of homemade ice cream ( GUAVA FLAVORED ICE CREAM with guava bits )

ATIS FLAVORED ICE CREAM with atis bits.

CHOCNUT TRUFFLE CAKE

I agree with the consensus of the group.... it was the best dinner I had this year...Pepita's stuffed lechons are something to rave about!!! .The skin was so crunchy and the meat was so tender and flavorful!!!.. I am giving 10 stars for PEPITA'S KITCHEN... If you are planning on what to have this christmas season... why don't you try out PEPITA'S KITCHEN STUFFED LECHONS... Thank you Dedet for the lovely LECHON DEGUSTACION dinner at your home.

(courtesy of Tetta Tirona )

Here is some good news.... PEPITA'S KITCHEN will soon open her home for private dinners. What are you waiting for .... Let's all go and try out Pepita's Kitchen !!

PEPITA'S KITCHEN

tel.nos. 425 4605
email address: pepitaskitchen@gmail.com

or you can LIKE her in FACEBOOK....

BAWAI'S VIETNAMESE KITCHEN - an old favorite in Tagaytay

2011-10-02T03:54:00.000-07:00

Chào mừng bạn đến với BAWAI'S VIETNAMESE KITCHEN !!

( Welcome to Bawai's Vietnamese Kitchen )

After all the typhoons that passed this past week --- Today was a welcome relief!!!! It turned out to be a sunny Sunday--- I wanted to go out of town and drive up to Tagaytay, which has become one of my favorite food destinations..... I asked my son, Iggy, to call up BAWAI'S VIETNAMESE KITCHEN ( Bawai for short ) to make reservations. Iggy texted me the dishes that were available --- I quickly chose and asked him if he can ask Phi Tatlonghari, the daughter of BAWAI if she can prepare for me a special dish -- Banh Xeo -- ( the famous Vietnamese pancakes which I wrote about in my previous blog )... Phi said she would ask her mom if she can prepare it for us today...Upon reading the text of Phi --- I started looking forward to my Vietnamese lunch at Bawai's Vietnamese Kitchen.

For those who haven't gone to BAWAI'S KITCHEN in Tagaytay... you are missing a lot!!! There are lots of restaurants here in the city --- but they do not ( at least I have not tasted one yet ) offer " REAL AUTHENTIC VIETNAMESE COOKING " in the Metropolis... Yes, Bawai's Kitchen might be far from the city ---- IT IS WORTH IT!!! Her cooking reminded me of the Vietnamese cuisine I had a few months ago in Hanoi, Vietnam. Bawai's Vietnamese Kitchen is not a typical restaurant because it is situated purely in their home in Tagaytay. They converted their dining room into a restaurant.

The name BAWAI is Vietnamese for grandmother. BAWAI'S VIETNAMESE KITCHEN officially opened April 2007 and they serve only LUNCH ( way back in 2007 ) from Fridays to Sundays by reservation only. The first time I went to BAWAI's Vietnamese Kitchen was when it opened. I together with the group of Anton Diaz and the OUR AWESOME PLANET group were one of the first foodies to invade Bawai's when it opened...... We all shared one verdict..... The food served to us that day was FANTABULOUS!! Luckily that day I was able to interview the owners of Bawai to get a little background of their restaurant. Let me share with you a little background of the Tatlongharis and their restaurant. Bawai's Vietnamese Kitchen is essentially the life story of a pretty Vietnamese woman named Yong, who met a Filipino engineer, Virgilio Tatlonghari at the height of the Vietnam War and together, they got married and went back to the Philippines in the early 70's, raised a family and decided to retire in Tagaytay. As Virgilio learned how to speak Vietnamese for her, Bawai cooked the most delectable Vietnamese dishes for him. Because the original idea of settling down in Tagaytay was to retire, the family could afford only very limited seating. At the time we went to Bawai's Vietnamese Kitchen --- they could accept only 25 persons at a time. 4 years after they formally introduced Bawai's Vietnamese Kitchen to the public... they have grown leaps and bounds -- they are opening a branch at Sandari Batulao, which will be more accessible to the locals and tourists.. It is located at Km. 77, Batulao, Nasugbu, Batangas, an hour-and-a-half drive from Makati via the South Luzon Expressway through Santa Rosa.

Here was what we ordered :

COM TAMBI SUON CHA - Grilled Spareribs with egg omelet. The pork has a mild sweet taste, with a hint of barbecue flavor. It was cooked just right. The omelet doesn't really have much taste. To add a little flavor to this dish I would recommend that you add a little Vietnamese fish sauce with it.

GOI CUON - Fresh Spring Rolls... It comes with 2 sauces.... one is with the hoisin-peanut sauce and the other one is Vietnamese fish sauce with diced chili...

BO KHO - ( Vietnamese Beef Stew with rice noodles ) .. Bo Kho is a type of dish in Vietnamese cuisine that is braised in a thick, mildly sweet reddish-brown-colored sauce containing caramelized sugar and fish sauce. This dish is a must try !!! Usually when you order this dish at Bawai -- they will serve white rice with it... I recommend that you should try it with their Vietnamese noodles.

TOM RANG ME - This one was very good!!!! Since I had Una, my grandaugther, with us -- I asked that they temper the spiciness of the dish... The shrimp tasted like it was cooked in Tamarind Sauce. It had a mild taste and the shrimp was cooked perfectly.

BANH KEO - Vietnamese Pancakes ( this dish is not in the menu )... I had to let Iggy and Cris taste this dish... I showed Iggy and Cris how to wrap the pancake in rice paper just like how I had it in Hanoi.... According to Phi, their pancakes were not as crunchy as the ones I tasted because they needed to be cooked in a vat of cooking oil. Nevertheless, this dish was really delicious!!!

for dessert we had BANH DA LON - It is a Vietnamese steamed layer cake made from tapioca starch, rice flour, mashed mung beans, coconut milk mixed with water, and very little sugar. They use pandan for flavoring. Una loved this dish!!!

Overall, I would still give Bawai's Vietnamese Kitchen a 5 star rating for their cuisine.. Their price was very reasonable... Why not go and try out Bawai's Vietnamese Kitchen when you are in Tagaytay. It is still regarded as one of the best kept secrets in Tagaytay!!

P.S. Their new restaurant is opening on October 8, 2011... This time the cuisine they will be serving is French-Vietnamese Inspired Cuisine. Why don't you try that out and be the first one to make a review on their new restaurant...

SEE YOU ALL THERE !!!!!! To our gracious chef, Yong Tatlonghari --- Đó là một bữa ăn tuyệt vời! Hy vọng gặp lại sớm! ( It was a great meal ! Hope to see you again!! )

BAWAI'S VIETNAMESE KITCHEN

Brgy. Bukal, Silang, Cavite
Contact number : +( 63 ) 920 972 2924

My version of CRAB BISQUE

2011-08-22T02:21:00.000-07:00

Here is a easy and simple recipe for Crab Bisque. Actually I wanted to use lobster instead of crab but when I went to the wet market and checked out the prices of the fresh lobsters it was very expensive. I had to settle in making a crab bisque which I think is just as good. You can use also shrimps if you prefer that more than crabs or lobsters.

Seafood bisque ( whether you use crabs, lobster or shrimps ) is a thick, creamy seafood soup, thought to be of French origin. The soup can be milk or cream based and that contains seafood meat, as well as sherry, cognac or wine.

Let me share with you my version of Crab Bisque...

INGREDIENTS:

1 crab ( you can use left over crab meat )
olive oil
1/2 carrot, chopped
1/4 cup celery chopped
2 medium size tomatoes ( chopped finely )
2 cloves garlic - chopped
2 shallots - chopped
1 sprig fresh tarragon leaves - chopped
1 1/2 tablespoons Cognac
1 cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon tomato paste
5 cups water or 4 cups of crab stock
Salt
Freshly ground pepper
Cayenne pepper
Pinch dried thyme
1 bay leaf
2 cups heavy cream
1 lemon, juiced
1 tablespoon minced chives or parsley leaves

PROCEDURE:

** Fill a large pot with 3 cups of water and bring to a boil. Place the crabs in the water and steam for 15 minutes. Discard the water. ( you can also save 1-2 cups of this original stock if you want a stronger crab taste ).

** Remove crab meats from the body and claws. Save the shells. Cut the crab meat into bite-sized pieces. Set aside.

** Place 5 cups of water in a clean stockpot and turn on high heat. Put the shells in the stockpot and cook for 30 minutes. This should yield 4 cups of crab stock.

** Add olive oil to a large pan and turn on medium heat. Add the garlic, bay leaf, shallots, tarragon leaves, carrots, tomatoes, and saute for 20 minutes.

** Add 4 cups of strained crab stock to the sauteed vegetables. Turn down heat and simmer for 30 minutes.

** Press entire contents of sauteed pan through sieve into a clean sauté pan.

** To finish the bisque, add heavy cream slowly, using whisk to blend. Add white wine. Simmer on low heat for 15 minutes; bisque will thicken slightly.

** Mix cornstarch with 1/4 cup water and slowly add to bisque with a whisk. Simmer on low heat for another 15 minutes. Add pepper.

** Place pieces of previous cleaned crab meat in bowl and add 1 cup of bisque.

** Season with lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Garnish with minced chives or parsley.

This recipe is good for 4 servings of crab bisque.

HAPPY COOKING EVERYONE !!!!

Celebrating a milestone at TAO YUAN

2011-08-15T03:07:00.000-07:00

I celebrated Iggy's and my birthday at TAO YUAN at the Resorts World, Manila. Yes, Iggy and I share the same birthday..... and Tao Yuan has become a favorite dining place in our family... we loved their Hainanese Chicken. I have been back to Tao Yuan so many times and every time I go to Tao Yuan... I always made sure I ordered their Hainanese Chicken. It is the BEST HAINANESE CHICKEN I have tasted here in Manila.

Days before going to Tao Yuan, I was already planning what we should order.... I asked Cris, my daughter in law, to call and make the reservations. The only thing I told my children was.... " We are going to have GOOD FOOD tonight !! " I asked Edith, another food lover to come and join us.

When we arrived at Tao Yuan... the place was starting to fill up.... there were people waiting outside --- We were ushered by the head waiter to our table and was ready to take our orders... I did not bother looking at their menu... I knew what I wanted to have....

Here was what we had:

Century Egg and Jelly Fish

Hainanese Chicken

Polanchay sauteed in garlic

Crispy Noodles with Seafood

I wanted Soft Shell Crabs but unfortunately they were out of stock --- so I settled for their " BAKLA " crabs which was just as good.... It was so sweet and very fresh to the taste..

The Drunken Shrimps were cooked right beside our table... The waiter brought the freshwater shrimps out just before we finished our last dish --- they were in a bowl, alive and he marinated them with strong wine... The shrimps were terrific !!! We all loved it!

For dessert we had Almond Jelly and fruit cocktail

The price of our dinner was a bit expensive but it was worth it!!! What a way to celebrate my milestone this year!!!!

Have you already tried TAO YUAN??? what is your favorite dish there??

TAO YUAN

2/F Newport Mall, Resorts World Manila
Pasay City, Metro Manila
Philippines

contact numbers: 659 3321
846 9998

Una turns 2 at TOURNE

2011-08-07T15:38:00.000-07:00

A few days before I left for Manila, Iggy texted me to say --- He and Cris discovered a new eating place at THE FORT.... and they decided to celebrate Una's 2nd birthday party at TOURNE ( pronounced Tour-nay ) -- a french word meaning " turned ". " TOURNE?? it's a French restaurant?? You mean to tell me -- we will be having FRENCH FOOD for Una's birthday?? KIDS don't eat FRENCH FOOD!!" was my answer to his "suggestion" ... Iggy just said... " MOM, trust me.... it just opened June 15 --- and Cris and I have tried their dessert-- it was good!! Let's go and try out their food--- it's SLOW FOOD ! and the Chef is Sandralyn Hataway -- google her mom!! " Oh my god!! What on earth is SLOW FOOD??

As soon as I got back in Manila, while I was trying to get rid of my jetlag --- I decided to find out what SLOW FOOD meant... and here is what I found out.... SLOW FOOD is " the opposite of FAST FOOD. The concept behind slow food ensures that everything served is made in the kitchen. From the bread, to the ketchup, to the sauces - nothing is store-bought. Everyone is assured that the quality of food is to the chef's liking." I also read a couple of reviews about TOURNE and all of the reviews were praising the food... That made me curious... I wanted to go and try out that SLOW FOOD! Yes, I am very adventurous when it comes to food and trying out new things ( at least once ) -- but my being so can also make me discover some hits and misses when it comes to food... but with Tourne I decided to give it a try. Come and join me as I discovered some new twists on my meal today.

I together with my kids, Tom and Maite , Iggy and Cris with my 3 grandchildren ( Miguel, Rocio and Una ) met at TOURNE.

Since we had no idea on what to order... I asked the help of the head waiter on what he would recommend.... Here is what we had:

KALABASA PUREE

4 CHEESE PIZZA - this dish was a winner!! It had Kesong Puti, Queso de Bola, Mozarella and Malagos farm Blue Goat's Cheese with braised Shitake Mushrooms...

BATANGAS BEEF TENDERLOIN KEBAB with chimichuri, grilled red onion, bell peppers, eggplant, okra and tomato stew in a fried saba ring. Served with Moroccan inspired rice.

TOURNE'S WALDORF SALAD - with Jicama ( diced singkamas ), Pineapple, Raisins, Celery, Cucumber, Cashew Nuts on a bed of Mixed Greens served with homemade Mayonnaise.

SAUTEED SOFT SHELL CRABS from Zamboanga with lemon confit and sundried kamias served with turmeric rice and ratatouille. This was another winner !!

DULONG PASTA with homemade marinara sauce and fresh pasta.

For the little ones, Cris ordered Macaroni and Cheese with deep fried chicken nuggets.

Well, judging from the pictures below --- They enjoyed their meal too!!!

While we were having our meal ---- they were busy preparing Una's birthday cake. Unlike the usual chiffon cakes you order -- where you have a choice of chocolate, vanilla or mocha flavor ---- Iggy made sure that the flavor of Una's cake... was their signature dessert cake flavor ... PINEAPPLE CLOUD. It is chiffon cake stuffed with pineapples --- the cake was very moist ( most probably from all the juices of the pineapple ).... That is how a cake should be... MOIST and not DRY! It was very good! I LOVED THE CAKE! You should try out their dessert -- PINEAPPLE CLOUD when you go to TOURNE.

Blow the candle UNA!!!

Overall, I did enjoy all the dishes we had. I definitely will come back another time to try out their other dishes..... the only problem I would like to point out was --- their servings were quite small.... or is it because I was so used to have HUGE servings while I was in the States. I found it a bit pricey for the portions that was served but IT WAS WORTH IT. Thank you Iggy and Cris for this new discovery.

To my birthday girl ---- Happy Birthday UNA!!

Why don't you go and try out TOURNE and tell me what are your favorite dishes!!!

Tourné
The Fort Strip
7th Ave corner 26th Street, Bonifacio Global City
Taguig, Metro Manila

RONALD REAGAN'S PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM ( Part 2 ) AIR FORCE ONE, Berlin Wall and Reagan's final resting place

2011-08-02T13:18:00.000-07:00

The Air Force One Pavilion contains Air Force One that flew from 1973 – 2001. It is the most important artifact in this library...According to the reading material on the wall --- " This Air Force One flew Presidents Nixon, Carter, Ford, Reagan, George H. Bush, Clinton and George W. Bush ".....The Air Force One is a Boeing 707 in a glass walled hangar over looking the valley. This is Air Force One, has been long retired ( in the early 1990's ) and from what I gathered is that the new Air Force One is a Boeing 747.

Before we move on to this part of Reagan's Presidential Library and Museum... Photography is not allowed inside the AIR FORCE ONE. Although The Reagan Library is surprisingly unrestricted to photographers. The only area that is off limits for photography is onboard Air Force One. Otherwise, you are free to draw your camera whenever you please, as long as you know how to turn off the flash. Touching any of the displays inside the plane and/or sitting onboard the aircraft are strictly prohibited. There are some guides inside to make sure NO ONE can take photos aboard the aircraft.

This impressive plane rests on pedestals and there is a walkway that circles the plane which allows you to view it from all angles.

One question that entered my mind ( and I bet it entered your mind too ) was ---- How were they able to transport the whole plane to the Library which was located on top of a hill?? I couldn't imagine how they brought such a huge aircraft up the hill -- I was lucky enough to talk to one of the museum guides and they explained it to me... and let me share it with you. Air Force One was disassembled over 2 months by the Boeing Company into 6 sections : fuselage, tail, stabilizers, engines, main landing gear and its wings. Then it was transported by truck on a specially designed trailer which crossed 4 freeways traveling 104 miles from San Bernardino to Presidential Library in Simi Valley. The roof of the pavilion ( look at the photo above ) with the 2 1/2 walls were constructed after the plane was towed in.... and Boeing reassembled the plane once more.... that took the Boeing crew another 3 months to put it together again and mount it on top of the pedestal... The final task of painting and polishing AIR FORCE ONE took 5 months. AIR FORCE ONE was unveiled on September 25, 2005 and the pavilion was opened to the public a month after, October 2005. Fantastic huh!!

As I joined the long queue at the entrance of Air Force One... there was an official photographer right before you enter the aircraft that was allowed to take souvenir shots ( like this one below ) ....

Yes, you can walk through the plane.... and see what life is like onboard.... As you walk through Air Force One ( you enter through the bulkhead of the plane and exit your way through the tail end of the plane ), you will see the President's office onboard, as well as the cabin occupied by staff members and the members of the press who traveled with the President... I was a bit discouraged when I entered Air Force One... I was expecting to see more---- the aisle was very narrow, the galley where they prepared the meals of the president was just like any ordinary galley that you see when you ride a transatlantic plane -- it had another galley located at the rear end of the plane that prepared the meals for his staff. His sleeping quarter was so tiny, cramped was more like it... There were no sleeping quarters for his staff ( perhaps I was watching too much movies about the AIR FORCE ONE and expected to see a lot more!! ).....The only part of the plane that really impressed me was the president's office wherein you saw all the gadgets that made the president " accessible 24/7 " even when he was high up on the air.

Here you can also see Reagan’s presidential limousine and secret service suburban right behind ..

At the lower level... you can see the Marine One, the President’s helicopter,

Our next stop .... to see the BERLIN WALL Pavilion ..

some memorabilia found inside the Berlin Wall Pavilion..

Do not forget to watch the video presentation on the Berlin Wall Pavilion ...

As you exit the pavilion you will see the remnant of the BERLIN WALL ( a 9 1/2 feet concrete slab ) that is located at the lawn outside the Presidential Library. This segment was part of the Brandenberg Gate in Berlin where President Reagan famously declared om 1987, "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall! "... This piece of the Berlin Wall, which fell just two years later, stands here at the Library to commemorate President Reagan's commitment to freedom.

Let us make our way to the final place of President Reagan which is located at the lawn of the LIBRARY. As we pass through the manicured lawn... we can see the lovely view of the valley.

Ronald Reagan's body was sealed inside a tomb at his hilltop presidential library following a week of mourning and remembrance by world leaders and the American people. A headstone of gray granite was set up at the memorial site above the crypt, where an inscription from Reagan himself is set into a curved wall adorned with ivy.

" I KNOW IN MY HEART THAT MAN IS GOOD. THAT WHAT IS RIGHT WILL ALWAYS EVENTUALLY TRIUMPH. AND THERE'S PURPOSE AND WORTH TO EACH AND EVERY LIFE." - Ronald Reagan

I hope you enjoyed our little tour to the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum.... remember when you are in Los Angeles, You should not miss visiting this place...

RONALD REAGAN PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY and MUSEUM

40 Presidential Drive

Simi Valley, CA 93065

Admission:

ADULT -- $12.00

SENIOR -- $9.00

YOUTH -- $6.00

CHILD – Under the age of 11 years: Free

The Reagan Library is opened everyday of the week from 10:00am to 5:00pm. The only days closed are Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day. Parking is FREE

RONALD REAGAN'S PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM ( Part 1 )

2011-07-30T14:24:00.000-07:00

One of the highlights of my trip to the States this year was visiting the RONALD REAGAN Presidential Library and Museum at Simi Valley, California. There was so much to see and capture on my camera that I decided to make 2 blogs on the Reagan Presidential Library.... Come and join me as I wander around this 100 acre site which also houses the Air Force One ( the presidential plane ) and final resting place of President Reagan.

This library is one of California's most beautiful and unique destinations. The Ronald Reagan Presidential Library is about 50 minutes away from downtown Los Angeles --- perched on a mountaintop with fantastic views of the surrounding mountains, Simi Valley and the Pacific Ocean. I would advise you to allot at least 3 - 4 hours just walking around the whole place. The museum is opened daily from 10am till 5pm. There is an entrance fee ( $ 12 - for visitors , $ 9 - for senior residents and FREE for all children below 10 years old ) you pay before entering the library. Guides will greet you at the reception desk to show you where to start your tour around the Library and where you can rent an audio phone to help you as you go on your tour. There are 18 galleries that pay tribute to Reagan. You can act in a movie with Reagan, deliver his inaugural address with a teleprompter ( this is fun), set the table for a state dinner, learn about Reagan's economic policies in interactive games, read his handwritten diary, ride a horse alongside Reagan at Rancho del Cielo, and much, much more. There is also a full-scale Oval Office replica of when Reagan was president and a 9 1/2 foot section of the Berlin Wall on display in the garden.

Before entering the Main Hall --- you will be greeted by a life size statue of Reagan.. and a big photo which Reagan used as his official photo during his presidency.

As you enter the gallery...... you will be greeted by another life size statue of President Reagan and his wife Nancy..

Here are some of the things you should not miss while visiting the Library...

Reagan's family crest-

Old family photos of the Reagan Family

Reagan as a baby...

Reagan's days as an actor..

some costumes he used while he was an actor..

Election paraphernalia..

The Oval Office - it is an exact replica of the one being used by all the presidents in Washington, D.C.

Some souvenir gifts from visiting dignitaries..

and the formal dinnerware set used when Princess Diana visited at the White House

His life at Rancho del Cielo... a collection of his saddles and belt buckles..

yes, you can have a photo taken riding alongside with President Reagan.....

The most recent acquisition of the Library was this steel beam that survived the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center.

After taking a lot of photos -- I decided to take a breather before I take you to our next part of the tour.... the Berlin Wall, the much talked about AIR FORCE ONE.... and his final resting place...

There is a small coffee shop inside the Library --- where you can sit down, have something to eat and rest before you continue your tour....called Reagan's Country Cafe. The Cafe serves homemade sandwiches, hamburgers, soup, salads, daily specials and desserts.

RONALD REAGAN PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY and MUSEUM

40 Presidential Drive
Simi Valley, CA 93065

Admission:
ADULT -- $12.00
SENIOR -- $9.00
YOUTH -- $6.00
CHILD – Under the age of 11 years: Free

The Reagan Library is opened everyday of the week from 10:00am to 5:00pm. The only days closed are Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day. Parking is FREE

RED ROCK CANYON - A Rock Climber's Dream

2011-07-26T14:13:00.000-07:00

For anyone who appreciates natural beauty and being one with nature, I strongly recommend that you visit Red Rock Canyon. It is approximately 30 minutes away from the Las Vegas Strip. Red Rock Canyon or "Red Rock " as it is known to the locals, got its name from the 3,000-foot high red colored sandstone formation embedded in the mountains of the Mojave Desert.

The view from any part of the park is breathtaking!!! If the temperature is extremely hot ( like the day when I together with my friends went to the park )----- climbing, hiking or biking throughout the park is not recommended. Another way to get around this park is to take the 13 mile paved loop around the whole area... there is a small entrance fee ( $7.00/car ) at the gate. This scenic 13 mile loop goes only ONE WAY -- so I would advise you -- when you reach the view points along the way -- make sure you take all the pictures right away....

After you pass the entrance gate of the park--- you will have to drive up to the Visitor's Center where you will be provided with information on the area history, geology, flora and fauna of the Red Rock Canyon. Here you can pick up a map of the park with detailed hiking routes ( beginner, intermediate and advanced levels ). The ratings are based on the ability of a person who hikes frequently. Your ability may also be affected by the weather, the condition and steepness of the trail, having enough water and your physical condition on the day of your hike. In case you are interested in climbing at Red Rock you will have to get a permit ( at least 7 days in advance to advise them of your climb ). To date, Red Rock Canyon has 19 hiking trails which ranges from Easy --- Moderate --- and Strenuous. There are Rangers at the Visitor's Center who offer guided tours at no charge.

Inside the Visitor's Center you will see the panoramic view of Red Rock Canyon.. No matter how wide your lens are-- you will never be able to capture the whole scenery in your camera. At least I tried... but didn't quite get the whole picture.

There are a lot of things to do in Red Rock Canyon. If you like to hike, take spectacular pictures or learn more about the desert ---- you need to plan to spend more time here. Red Rock Canyon has a lot to offer. Some of its activities are horseback riding, go on a picnic in one of the view points ( during cooler months ) but the most popular sport is rock climbing.

At one of the view points on the scenic drive --- I even watched a rock climber climb to the very top of the mountain and got down as quickly as he climbed. If you look well at the picture below you will see the climber on his way down from the mountain.

Even if you don't rock climb or hike --- Red Rock Canyon is still a good place to visit especially when you want to get away from the casinos on the Strip and explore. Red Rock is beautiful!!!!! This place has got to be one of the most beautiful natural places I have ever seen. No camera can capture the beauty of Red Rock Canyon... It is definitely a MUST SEE on a trip to Vegas.

The scenery is breathtaking! It was hard for me to believe that this natural wonder existed. I could not stop thinking about the way the mountains were formed...

I would say this visit will stay with me always. The most simple pleasures in life are the BEST... " Don't Miss This !! ".... Red Rock Canyon is for those who love nature and need a break..This is a trip everyone should make!

RED ROCK CANYON

13-mile Scenic Drive
Red Rock Overlook on State Route 159

operating hours: 6:00am - 7:00pm ( March to October )
6:00am - 5:00pm ( November to February )

The COSMOPOLITAN a must see in Las Vegas

2011-07-22T21:23:00.000-07:00

I heard so much about the COSMOPOLITAN--- which opened its doors to the public only this year... --It is the newest and most modern casino/resort hotel on the strip in Las Vegas. People who have gone to the COSMOPOLITAN are talking about the huge pink chandeliers ( which is definitely a must see ) when you visit the place. I made plans with Ernie and Lulu to go to the much talked about COSMOPOLITAN and have our little tour around this new establishment when we went to Las Vegas.

Before even entering the resort, we were blown away with the parking garage. Yes, I said parking garage! Each floor had there own murals done by professional artists. These are perfect for paparazzi shots with friends. Aside from that, which I find unique is the censored parking lights. Each stall has its own censor above showing either a red or green light. Red meaning: occupied, taken or unavailable. Green meaning: open, open... hurry its open! Pure brilliance. It was very convenient not having to drive repeatedly in every row stalking people for their parking spots. Just look for a green light and thats it.

The Cosmopolitan is amazing from the outside and the inside. Outside it looks like a small thin building and as we entered the parking structure huge silver letters spelling out COSMOPITAN greeted us... I immediately knew I would like this place. There were a million LED lights that lit up the basement parking.... it was simply amazing!!..

The moment I stepped out of the elevators ---- my camera did not stop clicking.... let my pictures do the talking....

The main lobby was AMAZING!! At the registration area, there were " video pillars " that showed video art changing from water bubbles to patterns. From the glamorous decor, to the attractive front desk girls, the Ocean's 11-esque music, etc. It all makes you feel like a million bucks as you walk through. Just about everyone were taking pictures. I can't blame them. It was indeed a work of art.. The interior design inside was something to rave about.

The next few photos I took below was the much talked about--- the 3 story pink chandeliers at the main lobby... you have to take the escalator all the way down and vice versa to appreciate the chandeliers... There are over 3 million crystals hang from this breathtaking masterpiece. Not to mention the spiral staircase that flows through the middle of the chandelier leading guests to one of the bars that sits within the chandelier! I have never been in the middle of such a work of art.

the chandelier bar....

one of the many shops inside the Cosmopolitan that caught my eye..... the name of the store is ALL SAINTS... at first glance you would think they were selling sewing machines!!

closer look of the window display of ALL SAINTS.

Here is a view of their casino... As we stepped in there was fuschia/purple carpet with matching leather seats. The casino was beautiful!!!! There's a 1 1/2 floor with a suspended bar overlooking the casino.

Each and every bar was well thought out. Within this seemingly tiny space holds a impressive number of little touches that you haven't seen from any of the other casinos on the strip. It has the charm of the boutique hotels off the strip combined with the capabilities and service of any of the top hotel casinos on the strip.

Fabulous.. Everything was modern, glittery, draping crystals and GLAM! We couldn't get enough of this place! We spent about 3 hours just walking around and taking pictures!!!! The Cosmopolitan is definitely a must see in your next trip to Las Vegas!!!

Wow. Well done Cosmopolitan!! Great concept, planning and design!! This place is a FEAST for the eyes!!! Let me preface this review by saying that we did not stay here or eat here but only did the preliminary walk through to see if this is a place we want to frequent and bring others to....... and my answer is a resounding YES!!

Goodbye COSMOPOLITAN.... till my next trip to Vegas !!

My BORACAY Getaway 2011 What to do in Boracay

2011-07-06T17:07:00.000-07:00

When you visit Boracay, you might want to try not limiting yourself to lounging on the beach the whole day. In Boracay it is not hard to find something to do. Some of the most popular water sports are parasailing, fishflying, paraw sailing, banana boat riding and jet skiing. It is easy to arrange for such activities as there are many island activity organizers on white beach who can help you.

Here are my favorite activities when I am in Boracay....

ISLAND HOPPING..

A tour around the island is 1500 pesos... The itinerary includes snorkeling at Crocodile island where you can explore marine life through clear blue waters, buffet lunch ( which you have to pay ), visit the crystal cave, bat cave and puka beach. We went from one end of the island to the other end.. The boat's captain showed us different resorts on the beach. There is an entrance fee of 200 pesos for the Environmental fee. If you do not have snorkels and a mask --- the boat man can provide you one at a minimum price. The island hopping tour lasts 4 to 5 hours... It is best to take this activity in the morning when the sun is not too hot. The island hopping tours starts at 9:00am.

He pointed out the private beach resort of champion boxer Manny Paquiao, West Cove which looked like it was carved out of the island. The resort looked like a Gaudi - inspired architecture... I wanted to go and see the resort and possibly try and take some photos.... so the next day-- Iggy, Cris, Una and I tried to go Manny Pacquaio's West Cove--- we took a tricycle to Diniwid Beach and since the tide was high that day we had to walk pass over slippery rocks up to Nami Beach Resort... Since we had a small kid in tow--- we could not proceed to climb more rocks, enter a cave which has a stairway up to the resort. We turned back.

I was able to get a map showing where the West Cove is located... I could not understand why West Cove is not accessible by road. There are no roads leading to the resort....... ( please look at the map above )... From where you get off your tricycle it is at least a 300 meter walk to the resort... I found West Cove not walk-in friendly especially if you have a 2 year old kid with you........You will have to go by boat to the resort if you want to go there. A few days ago, the " REAL OWNER " of West Cove, Cris Aquino, came out on television claiming that he OWNS the WEST COVE and not Manny Pacquiao. According to Aquino on national television, Manny Pacquiao and his brood stays there every time they go to Boracay for a R & R...

We stopped at a spot to go snorkeling. The boatman knew exactly where to stop. The spot was marked by buoys ( made of empty plastic water bottles ). I found out from the boatman --- that they are not allowed to drop their anchor for fear of their ruining the corals.

The water was so clear that you can literally see the fishes come up to feed on pieces of bread tossed by sightseers. .

While Iggy went snorkeling ... I saw a coconut vendor on his little banca selling coconuts--- this is another attraction to see . We hailed him to come over and bought his ware... 3 coconuts costs 100 pesos.
I watched him split the coconut husks. It was a very hot day and we were all thirsty.... drinking fresh coconut juice was indeed a welcome treat.

Catching the sunset on a PARAW

Paraw sailing is one of the most popular sports in Boracay. Paraws sail out in the afternoon taking people out in the ocean to view the majestic sunset. The best time to get on a paraw is between 4:30pm to 5:30pm. Paraw sailing while the sun is setting in Boracay is one of the things you should put in your bucket list.

The paraw owners usually rig the outriggers with netting, on which the passengers can lounge on. While riding the paraw-- it is best to bring a cooler and enjoy a glass of wine while cruising.

As you breeze through the waves and the wind... you will experience serenity to the fullest. It is the best way to end the day and enjoy the setting sun in Boracay. The price of the paraw ride is 800 pesos for an hour.

Boracay will always be in my mind. It is true that it has beautiful beaches and amazing weather... but what made this experience truly special was the people I spent my vacation with.

Thank you to my son, Iggy, Cris and Una for making this vacation the best vacation ever....

Asya Premier Suites - a new discovery in Boracay

2011-06-29T11:47:00.000-07:00

During our stay in Boracay, we allotted one day looking for ideal wedding venues or receptions on the island. We had seen Discovery Shores and Shangrila - Boracay at Station 1 the day before, today we are headed for another top wedding venue..... ASYA PREMIER SUITES. It is a high-end resort which boasts of " having all the luxuries of a five-star hotel and the charming intimacy of boutique lodging ".

ASYA PREMIER SUITES is one of the newest 5-star hotels that is located atop a hill overlooking the sea at the southern tip of the island close to Station 3..... far away from the maddening crowd..... but very accessible via a hired tricycle or walking by the White Beach. It has 20 suites ( 4 presidential suites and 16 premier suites ) overlooking the pool.

We took a tricycle from D' Mall to Asya Premier Suites which was approximately 20 minutes -- traveling thru small roads, passing the pier and several barangays... I was beginning to get impatient because of the long ride then suddenly -- we were infront of a gate which had a sign-- Asya Premier Suites... I was a bit apprehensive thinking that they would not allow walk-ins to the area... Iggy, my son told the guard we wanted to eat at PALAY ( that is their main restaurant ).. and to my surprise-- we were allowed to enter.

We entered a grand driveway, a Zen-like fountain greeted us. As we alighted from our tricycle and headed for the reception area... We told them --- we wanted to talk to their F & B manager, because we were looking for a wedding venue site next year. Jaren, their manager, gladly showed us around --- I did not waste any time, took out my camera and started taking photos of the place...

These are photos of the second level of Asya Premier Suites... looks like a perfect place for what we had in mind... can you imagine having a wedding reception here by the poolside at sunset!!

a view from the Adlaw Bar

We went down to the 3rd level ... this was where they had their main restaurant... PALAY... it is an al fresco dining area... The time we went was almost noon and this area was very hot and humid. They turned on some of the fans above to cool down the place a bit.

Since it was lunch time and we were famished.... we decided to have our lunch at Palay. Here was what we had..

Quattro formaggio pizza -

Chicken Nuggets for little Una --

and Greek Salad with Chicken --

After lunch, Jaren showed us other function rooms on this level --

We went down the last flight of stairs to the beach front... Right in front of Asya Premier Suites, there are no crowds on the beach unlike the other Stations.... in fact... we were the only ones that day... on one corner of the cove was this set of beach chairs and on the other end was a parked sailboat. The beach landscape was just awesome!! I thought all the time that Station 3 had less fine sand compared to the other stations in the island... I was wrong!!! I found out from Jaren, the hotel does not have a lot of walk-ins especially at sunset... most of the people you will get to see on the beach are their clients.

Isn't Asya Premier Suites just perfect for your wedding reception on your big day????

I was not able to get any shots of the rooms because we were more interested on the wedding venue rather than the rooms.

Their staff was very friendly and accommodating, the food we ate that day was very good!! Seeing all those steps we had to climb to get to the top--- Jaren offered to drive us on the golf cart back to the reception area were we hired one of its vans to bring us back to Elizalde.

Yes, the place is expensive... I think it is the most expensive hotel in the island -- but... for me this is the best resort in Boracay.

ASYA PREMIER SUITES

Sitio Cagban, Barangay Manoc-Manoc
Boracay Island
Malay, Aklan

Tel. nos. +63 36 288 1790

My BORACAY Getaway 2011- Nightlife in the Island

2011-06-27T11:12:00.000-07:00

The fun in Boracay doesn't end when the sun sets. Boracay nightlife comes alive with many bars and restaurants serving food, drinks and fun until late in the evening.

Boracay never sleeps!! Walk around, for sure you will find a spot you like. Whether you are a romantic, a party animal or the quiet type, there is a place for everyone. Let me suggest some places where you can hang out.

BAMBOO LOUNGE located at Station 1

If you are looking for a great performance from the fire dancers then this is the place to enjoy the entertainment with lots of photo opportunities. Dancing and gyrating to loud music, the fire dancers swirled, threw and caught the " fireballs on a string".

They have a cool lounge style seats that are spread out on the beach where you can chill out. With tiki torches and red lighting, the Bamboo lounge really creates the perfect atmosphere in Boracay.

ZUZUNI is a fine dining restaurant that offers Greek cuisine. It is located at Station 1. Here are some of their dishes that are a MUST TRY when you are in Boracay...

MOUSSAKA - it is a casserole dish made by layering eggplant with a spiced meat filling then topping it off with a creamy bechamel sauce that is baked to golden perfection. It is the Greek's answer to the Italian Lasagna.

SPANAKOPITA - is a rich pie recipe stuffed with spinach, onion, feta cheese and herbs and wrapped in crispy filo pastry.

LAMB GYRO is grilled lamb patty seasoned with garlic, rosemary and oregano in pita pocket bread. Served with cucumber yogurt sauce. Zuzuni has other variations --- chicken and beef.

ZUZUNI'S Z BURGER - their charcoal-grilled burger was humongous and it was worth the price. The slab of feta cheese on top of the burger was as huge as the patty itself!! The Z Burger is a meal by itself!!

CHOCOLATE SIN of MATI - This is what Zuzuni is famous for. It is made of Valhrona chocolate cake served with creamy vanilla ice cream on the side. The cake is filled with deliciously warm chocolate syrup. Once you cut through the cake--- the dark chocolate oozes out as you savor the dish. Add a bit of ice cream on top of the cake and the rich chocolatey flavor makes a delicious explosion in your mouth.... just thinking about it makes me want to go back for more!!! This is a MUST TRY!!

So sit back... relax and unwind in Boracay while sipping a glass of wine!!! CHEERS to BORACAY-- to the island that never sleeps!!!

My BORACAY Getaway 2011 ( Part 2 ) DOS MESTIZOS same time a year after

2011-06-24T11:20:00.000-07:00

Ever since I discovered and got to love the cuisine of Dos Mestizos, I have made it one of our " MUST TRY ONCE MORE " on my food itinerary this year..... and I was not disappointed!! I love Dos Mestizos!! I wanted to go back and try out their other dishes. Dos Mestizos might be a bit pricey but the food they serve is worth it ! One thing I liked at Dos Mestizos is all the food I ordered was served to us piping hot and freshly cooked.... and their service was fast!!

Here was what I ordered:

BACALAO ALA VIZCAINA - It is a Spanish-style fish stew which uses salted cod that had been stewed in olive oil, tomatoes and potatoes. This dish is a little salty so I would recommend that you put a little on top of a piece of french bread when you eat it... Bacalao is a traditional peasant dish in all Spanish speaking countries and is served during Holy Week, Christmas and New Year's Eve.

FABADA ASTURIANA - It is a rich Spanish white bean soup with morcilla ( blood sausage ). This reminded me of my mother-in-law cooking this dish. The beans were very soft and the taste of the morcilla was very prominent in the broth. The right way of eating this dish is to drizzle some olive oil and vinegar. This dish is usually served with crusty French bread.

ENSALADA VERDE CON LANGOSTINOS - the prawns were very fresh!!!

MEJILLONES AL VINO BLANCO - The clams we had were the best!! They were huge and very fresh... my mouth waters just thinking about it.

For dessert -- I opted for the BREAD PUDDING than the usual leche flan..... It was really good!!! The pudding was not sweet and the vanilla sauce was the perfect match for this dish. I made the right choice! It was served warm...and it melts in your mouth!!! A must try ....

Dos Mestizos has the best food on the island!!!! I highly recommend this restaurant!

Venga vamos a comer en Dos Mestizos!!

My BORACAY Getaway 2011 Where to eat in Boracay

2011-06-22T04:03:00.000-07:00

There are lots of places to eat in Boracay... I am very sure --- you have your own list of " WHERE TO GO" and " WHAT TO EAT" in the island. I have made my own list of where I wanted to eat and where to have them. Here is the list I have made for you to try when you go to Boracay...

** D' TALIPAPA **

I always make it a point that it is a " MUST " that I have a meal at D'TALIPAPA... Leaving the island without sampling Boracay's delicious seafood would only be half the fun!! The best place to get the freshest catch of the day would be at D' TALIPAPA. We ate at PLATO D' BORACAY - which is located right in front of the market itself. This establishment are run like regular restaurants with only one difference: customers need to bring their own uncooked food.

At the wet market --- you can hand-pick every prawn and mussel.... They usually charge " cooking fee " which is 250pesos/ kilo on your food to be cooked... on vegetables they charge 100/pesos. We decided to have everything I bought grilled over hot charcoal rather than ordering it with sauce. Why should you mask the flavor of the seafood if it is very fresh!!

Here was what we had:

** ISLAND CHICKEN INASAL ** It is located at the plaza area of D'Mall. It is a pure Ilonggo food joint. Their specialty is Chicken Inasal and Kansi.

We had been trying to go to this place since last year --- but everytime we come over--- the place was filled with people. This time --- we decided to go early.. We arrived at 6 pm --- and the place was already getting filled while the rest of the other restaurants were not yet opened. The price tag of this restaurant is very affordable. You have to try it out on your next trip to the island.

KANSI - authentic Ilonggo Bulalo with a twist.

Do you know what is Kansi?? It is cooked the same way as we cook our Bulalo-- they use beef shanks with the bone marrow intact. The taste of Kansi is like sinigang a bit on the sour side. The big difference with our Bulalo and their KANSI is that they use BATWAN which is only found in the provinces instead of the usual tamarind powder to achieve the sour taste. And they put anato ( atsuwete ) to turn their broth into a rich red color.

They have the best CHICKEN INASAL -- it was very juicy unlike other inasal outlets I have tried... their chicken inasal was perfectly grilled and topped with mouth-watering aromatic chicken oil sauce. This is a must try for all the chicken lovers.

** GELATO at ARIA **

After your meal..... head to Aria for their GELATO. It is located at Station 2, D' Mall. It is a small kiosk just beside Aria Cucina Italiana. The best gelato in Boracay. My favorite flavor is PISTCAHIO.

** LEMON CAFE ** It is located at D' Mall.

Lemon Cafe serves breakfast, lunch, dinner and even in-between snacks. Every plate you order looks more like a work of art.

We went there for brunch and had the best eggs benedict in Boracay. It was served on an excellent home-made whole wheat bun and the hollandaise sauce had a bite of lemon in it.

Do try out their desserts especially the tiramisu which was very light and no too sweet, Lemon Cheesecake, their sinful Belgian chocolate cake and their leche flan. It is to die for!!

Perfect food, great service and this place is not cheap but you pay for what you get and what you get is the flavorsome and well presented food !!! I will deifinitely come back to these restaurants on my next Boracay visit!!!

My BORACAY Getaway 2011

2011-06-19T20:24:00.000-07:00

Boracay is an awesome tropical island about 55 minutes flight from Manila. Its long white sand beaches rival the best beaches of more popular destinations such as Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia.

There are two main modes of transport around Boracay via tricycles along the main road or by walking along the beaches.

For those wanting just to lounge around and take in some rays, there are beach-front hotels which has lounge chairs set up just a few steps from the hotel entrances.

Facilities for the usual water sports activities such as wind-surfing, snorkeling, kayaking, diving and jet-skiing are available for those in search of more active pursuits. The latest water sport in Boracay is stand up paddle-surfing.

Boracay has two main beaches, White Beach and Bulabog Beach which are located on opposite sides of the island. If you are into photography -- Bulabog Beach is the best place to catch the perfect sunrise,

and for sunset -- you need to be at White Beach.

Weather in Boracay is generally divided into two seasonal weather patterns known locally as the Amihan and the Habagat seasons. According to the locals whom I talked with -- the Amihan season is characterized by moderate temperatures, with very little rain or no rainfall at all, and there is a prevailing wind from the east. As a rule of thumb, the Amihan season starts September to the end of May and the Habagat season is from June to August. The Habagat season is characterized by the hot and humid weather, with frequent heavy rainfall and a prevailing wind from the west. Tropical storms are most likely seen during the Habagat season.

During the dry season which is from November thru April-- the White Beach is calm and suitable for swimming and doing all the watersports.. During the rainy season June to October --- you have the risks of typhoons hitting the island. White Beach during these rainy seasons gets large waves which makes it unsuitable for swimming. There are no lifeguards on the beach front so it would be good to go swimming with a companion at all times.

I was in Boracay last year and when I came back to the island a few weeks ago-- I noticed so many changes in the island.. I have made a list on the changes I noticed .. There were some hits and a few misses.... let me enumerate them and you decide whether they are HITS or MISSES....

** NO SMOKING on the beachfront. An ordinance was passed late last year prohibiting people from smoking on the beach. The reason for this was -- these people would just throw their butts on the sand. In case one has to smoke on the beach -- they should bring a container which they can dispose of the butts after.

** NO LITTERING on the beach front. Yes, you read it correctly... Boracay is now litter free on the beach front--- you will never see empty soda cans littered on the shore early the next morning, no plastic bottles half-buried in the sand, no empty bags of chips thrown all over the place. If you are caught littering on the beach--- you are fined 500 pesos for the first offense and it goes up to 1000 pesos for repetitive offense. Hotels and restaurants on the beach front are tasked to keep their part of the beach front free from litter. If you are an early riser, you will see an army of leaf- pickers at 5:30 am on the beach front picking up leaves on the shore line. They do this all day long.

** What I missed this year in Boracay were the sand castles, those works of art by Boracay's beach children that used to be one of the resort's night attractions. I found out that there is an ordinance that prohibits making of sand sculptures except for promotional or special events with ..... a mayor's permit.. When I was in Boracay last May, instead of magnificent sand castles with intricate towers, I saw some children making " sand lanterns" instead. These are ground level lanterns lighted underground.

** Last year when I went to Boracay around May--- there was floating green seaweed outlining the shoreline..it would make one think twice if you still want to go into the water and swim..... today--- the green seaweed is gone!!! Boracay MUST have done something about it... For me, this was the best thing they have done to the island.... getting rid of the unsightly seaweed that sticks to your feet when you wade into the ocean for a swim.

** There are no more stray dogs wandering along the coastline. Now you can jog freely or stroll on the beach front without a stray dog following you. It can be a hassle at times. According to the locals whom I have talked to --- they have banned the dogs from the beach. Violators were impounded.

** The cost of food ( whether you are buying it at the market, ordering in the restaurants or even in the grocery stores ) have gone up. The locals of the island are now complaining of the rising costs.

** Some of the hotels on the beach fronts -- will charge you for sitting on their lounge chairs. I heard a certain hotel in Station 1 charges 600 pesos/day for lounging around their hotel beach front area.

TRAVEL TIPS when you go to Boracay ---

** The first on my list would be..... Research, research and more research!!! Consult Mr. Google and Yahoo to know more about the places where you can go!!!

** Ask questions and talk to the locals. They are your best guides. YOU might be able to save more when traveling local style. Sometimes it is just more fun when you discover unique things about a place.

** Travel light when you go to the beach..... Bring only what is essential not everything from your closet!!-- All you will need when going to Boracay are your swimwear, sun glasses, flip flops, a camera with enough SD/CF cards to document your stay, batteries and charger for your camera and your valuable things.

** A good sunscreen lotion for your skin.... Boracay can get really HOT during the summer months. Sun worshippers should be armed with the necessary lotions for their skin or your delicate skin might end up looking like barbecued skin.

** Try to be a little bit flexible when going to Boracay, so that if things don't go the way it's planned, you don't end up frowning.

** and lastly--- Get out of your comfort zone!!! Be adventurous and try new things.

I think Boracay is STILL THE PLACE TO GO!!! Boracay will always be one of my major destinations here in the Philippines!! What about you??

TAO YUAN- Looking for the best Hainanese Chicken in Manila

2011-06-17T05:14:00.000-07:00

I heard about Tao Yuan and its reputation from my cousin, Corito, who is another food lover, like me a few months ago but I only had the chance to visit this restaurant only a few nights ago with my son, Iggy and his wife, Cris. There were many people recommending this place, telling me that this place was serving " the best Hainanese Chicken "-- in Manila. The only set back at that time was.... Tao Yuan was located in Malate, which was quite far from where I live. Finally--- Tao Yuan opened its doors on another location which is on the second floor of the Resorts World. That gave me an opportunity to go and try out their famous dish and be the judge!

I have been to a lot of restaurants in Metro Manila serving Hainanese Chicken rice, but sad to say --- all of them failed to impress me. The chicken they served was too dry for my taste, the onion/ginger sauce was bland, their soy sauce was sweet instead of a bit salty... I was looking for the same taste of the Hainanese Chicken Rice I had with my friend, Edith, at the Marina Mandarin in Singapore... The chicken just melts in your mouth... What really got me hooked to this dish was---- I could eat the white meat!! Yes, there are some people who prefer " dark meat " than " white meat " in chicken and I am one of them. But with the dish that was served to me at Marina Mandarin, I was able to eat the white meat which is the breast of the chicken.. It made me think aloud --- will TAO YUAN be the place where I could taste once again authentic Hainanese Chicken Rice??

Cris called for reservations just to make sure we got a table---- apparently the waitress who took our call told us -- it was fully booked but they will try and see what they can do... With that answer -- it didn't dampen our spirits and off we went to Resorts World.

When we got to the restaurant..... Lo and Behold!! There was a table ready for us. Even before we sat down--- I quickly glanced at the other tables near us -- they all had a plate of Hainanese Chicken on their tables.... I immediately decided to have Hainanese Chicken Rice in our list.

Here was what we ordered:

Hainanese Chicken with Rice.....

As soon as our dish we served--- One thing I noticed which was really unusual or for lack of better description.... it was quite odd that Tao Yuan did not serve the customary bowl of broth that comes with this dish. I never bothered asking the waiter why we do not have soup ---- I picked up my chopsticks and tasted the sauces...The ginger/onion sauce was perfect!! Their Kitchap ( soy sauce ) was the same one I tasted in Singapore --- salty not sweet.. and the chili paste was very good! Then I picked up a piece of the chicken , dipped it into the pounded ginger sauce, chili paste, soy-sauce trio and thrust everything into my waiting mouth....... IT WAS SIMPLY DELICIOUS!!!! The chicken was very soft, moist and juicy... it just melted in my mouth. I finally found what I was looking for!!! It was the same Hainanese Chicken I had tasted in Singapore! Simply delicious!!! Tao Yuan certainly knew their business!! You should definitely try it out!!! This dish alone made me give Tao Yuan a 5-star rating on their Hainese Chicken Rice.... I mean it ! its' the BEST I have ever tried.... Tao Yuan will definitely be one of my favorite restaurants in Manila!! Their Hainanese Chicken Rice is to die for!!

Another dish that you should order if you love mushrooms is their SAUTEED MIXED MUSHROOMS with X.O. SAUCE. It is also very good!!

and their BRAISED PORK BELLY WITH TAO POK.

After dinner, we moved over to CAFE REPUBLIQ to have dessert. Cafe Republiq is also located on the same floor as Tao Yuan.

The ambience of the place is very cozy, peaceful with less noise.

My Segafredo Cappuccino and Chocolate souffle. Yes, it was worth all the calories I had for one evening!!!

There are more restaurants inside Resorts World waiting to be discovered.... and definitely --- I am coming back to try them out!!

SEE YOU ALL AT RESORTS WORLD!!!

TAO YUAN

2/F Newport Mall, Resorts World Manila

Pasay City, Metro Manila

Philippines

contact numbers: 659 3321

846 9998

An extra ordinary experience with the Cinematics Team ( Day 2 )

2011-06-13T17:31:00.000-07:00

GOOD MORNING EVERYONE!!! It is a great day ---- perfect weather for our photo shoot at the Twin Islands.

As we agreed the night before, the team met at the Wawa Boat Station to take a banca to the Twin Islands at 6 o'clock in the morning... the reason for this early morning ride was ---- when the tide comes in -- it will be very hard for us to do the prenup shoot on the island. Pen negotiated for our boat trip, since he was from Nasugbu, he haggled and got a good price for our trip.

The boat ride to the Twin Islands was approximately 45 minutes ( one way ). It was very relaxing to take an early morning boat ride, my camera did not stop clicking all the way to the island. In case you are interested to visit the island --- a banca from the Wawa Boat Station it will cost you 3000PHP ( roundtrip ).

( Courtesy of Cinematiconcepts )

When we got to one of the islands... the team decided to climb to the top for the photo shoot... The team brought up the bikes and our equipment. It was very steep and hard to climb. I decided to wait for them at the shore. According to the team-- climbing to the top of the island was really worth it. It was picture pretty --- . This island is reachable when it is low tide. There is usually a sandbar in between the two islands where you can walk. When the tide rises the sandbar disappears. Be careful and watch where you step--- the stone formations at the sandbar and on the islands itself are very slippery.

While the team was busy taking prenup shots with Dondi and Jasper at the top of the island... I had a little " accident " down below.... while waiting for them. I was looking for a shady spot where I could sit and wait for them to come down.... I walked to a spot -- which I thought was shady enough and started to clear some crushed corals --- leveling it so I can sit and take some shots of the waves crashing on the rocks... as I was about to sit down... a wave came rushing to the spot where I was --- and washed away the spot I was going to sit on... I lost my balance and fell--- scraping my back on the rocks, hitting my head... I ended up with a couple of bruises on my back!!!... Yes, my being adventurous can get me into trouble sometimes--- I end up getting into so many " little accidents "... but that won't stop me from what I love to do.... talking photos!! My love for photography has no bounds... I would risk my safety just to be able to do get the perfect shot!!

( courtesy of Cinematiconcepts )

The team satisfied with their shots on top of the island made their way back down....

Before we left for Manila.... the team decided to have lunch at Joy's Kitchen at the Roxaco Subdivision in Nasugbu, Batangas. Joy's Kitchen is opened daily from Tuesday to Sunday for lunch and dinner. I have been to Tali Beach so many times but I never discovered this little kitchen... It was Pen who suggested this kitchen... and we were not disappointed with what we ordered....

Here was what we had..

Bottomless Herbed Iced Tea

PASTA SCAMPI - spaghetti with shrimps sauteed in Joy's homemade pomodoro sauce, cooked in virgin olive oil and served with garlic bread..

TUNA FLAKES PASTA - spaghetti cooked with tuna flakes in virgin olive oil and green pimientos.

Bistek Filipino - beef steak marinated in balsamic vinegar and spiced soy sauce with lots of onions.

FRESH GREENS WITH PARMESAN - Fresh greens with diced apples, cucumbers and tomatoes. Topped with hard boiled egg and tons of parmesan cheese.

ORGANIC MIXED SALAD - fresh greens with sliced carrots, pineapple, croutons. Balsamic- Honey dressing.

JOY'S CHEESEBURGER..

PASTRAMI SANDWICH..

deep fried PORK ADOBO FLAKES

I had so much fun doing this little adventure with the Cinematics Team--- I am looking forward to another extra ordinary adventure with the Cinematics Team once more!

An extra ordinary experience with the Cinematics Team ( Day 1 )

2011-06-11T17:20:00.000-07:00

I had another extraordinary experience with Iggy and the Cinematiconcepts team.... I joined them on another prenup photo shoot in Batangas.. They were going to shoot Dondi and Jasper's prenup. The team knew how adventurous I am--- so they had no problem in trying to convince me to join their team for the shoot. I have joined Iggy and his team on two occasions already... the first one was -- a scuba dive shoot in Anilao, Batangas, where their clients were avid divers --and the last one was in Pampanga -- where we all rode an ultralight plane... Believe me!! These photo shoots are so much fun and exciting!!!

It was so different during my time -- wherein we ONLY had the usual " pamanhikan ( the future groom's family goes over to the house of the bride-to-be to ask for her hand ) "... then ... the " despedida de soltera " ( a formal dinner for the future bride given by her parents )... we never heard of PRE NUP shoots!! During those times we would have a slide or video presentation of the bride and groom growing up etc ( which was sometimes too corny!!) .... but with our new generation --- the whole thing becomes one big production!! Iggy and the Cinematiconcepts team goes on wedding prenups outside the country, their prenup shoots are so unusual that they become very unique in their work... and I, being a very adventurous person always go with them....

I have met Dondi and Jasper last year at Iggy's birthday dinner --- that was when he proposed to Jasper... Dondi is a good friend of the Cinematics team.... so it wasn't that hard to gather all of us to do this prenup with them..... Iggy and Dondi used to play in a band some years back.

Dondi and Jasper share one passion..... riding their bikes.. Recently they joined the 13th Tour of the Fireflies together with 12,000 other bikers which travelled all the way from Tiendesitas to the Cultural Center of the Philippines and back... It was a 42 km ride. So the theme of their photo shoot will be that of their love of biking...

Join me now as I document my latest adventure.....

Pen, Engie, Dondi and Jasper left one day ahead of us... they were going to do the occular. Iggy, Rommel, Luke and I were going the follow the next day with the equipment. The night before the shoot-- Iggy texted me on what I should pack for the shoot.... walking shorts, sunblock, insect repellent, dry-fit shirts and outdoor walking shoes.

I fetched Iggy and his team at the studio and... off we drove to Nasugbu, Batangas. The weather was good---it was a perfect day for a photo shoot. When we got to Pen's place--- we began to strategize on where we would do the shoot.... the group decided on what each person will do... Pen will be the director, his wife, Engie will be the make-up artist

Iggy -- the videographer,

Luke and Rommel will be the photographers,

I will be the " behind-the-scene" photographer so I can document the whole shoot.

WAWA Bridge ... if you are a regular visitor of Tali Beach, Maya-Maya or Punta Fuego... you will know this bridge.

As we approached the bridge we had to park on the side of the road--- get the bikes and our gear from the car and set up for the shoot... we caused a slight commotion while we were shooting...

Then we moved on to the towards Maya Maya.. We didn't shoot at the clubhouse... They wanted to be different... so off we went to some hilly spot and unloaded again our gear. Unmindful of our surroundings we started to shoot...

After we were satisfied with the shots we took we moved on to another location. Walking to the car -- I noticed that I had some thorns stuck to my legs... I was not the only one--- everyone in the group had it too... I slowly plucked each thorn and off we went to another location. We were trying to catch the sunset..

a lovely sight with the perfect lighting ....

finally .... sunset shot with the Cinematics Team at Terrazas de Punta Fuego.. We made it just in time!

What a great day!!! We all went back to Nasugbu -- tired but happy with all the photos we took today.... Tomorrow --- we will be heading out to the famous Twin Islands...

SEE YOU TOMORROW!!!!!

My adventure to Hanoi ( part 12 ) Last day in Hanoi

2011-06-09T17:22:00.000-07:00

CHAO MUNG DEN HA NOI

( Welcome to Hanoi )

After days of walking around in hot and humid weather in Hanoi... we were greeted with a cooler day today after the slight drizzle the night before... After breakfast, we started our walking tour again.... only to find out that most of these sights that we wanted to see were all closed --- due to the 4-day holiday.

I have listed the places you must not miss when you go to Hanoi...

** HOAN KIEM LAKE **

A stroll around the lake at any time of the day is always an interesting sight to see ---- old men smoking bamboo pipes while playing mahjong or chess, people jogging, young lovers walking hand in hand or some vendors selling street food. In your morning stroll you will see some elderly Vietnamese women doing their tai-chi and chi-qong exercises and so on.

You should not miss the " Pen Tower " - It is a small stone brush tower that is located at the beginning of the bridge.

** ST. JOSEPH'S CATHEDRAL **

Known as NHA THA LON, the St. Joseph's Cathedral is the oldest Roman Catholic church in Hanoi. It is walking distance from the Hoan Kiem lake. It was designed after the Notre Dame of Paris.

** OPERA HOUSE **

It was built in 1901 and finished 1911 by the French Colonialist Government. It is considered as one fo the city's most famous landmarks. The Opera House was modeled after the Palais Garnier in Paris, but in a smaller scale.

** TRAN QUOC PAGODA **

Tran Quoc Pagoda is seated on an island linked by a bridge between the two most romantic lakes of Hanoi, The West Lake and the Truc Bach Lake. It is the oldest pagoda that is situated in the center of Hanoi and is considered a cultural symbol of Vietnamese Buddhism.

The garden tower inside Tran Quoc.

Inside the pagoda, there are many valuable statues, such as the red lac statues trimmed with gold. ( see photo below ).

Regardless of its age, constant renovation of Tran Quoc keeps its building fresh and gleaming bright earthly colours.

I was not able to go on my scheduled 2day/1 night cruise on Halong Bay because the day we went -- we were not allowed to sail due to the weather. The tour operator told us that the sea was rough and it was very windy.

I will be back in Hanoi hopefully before the year ends...and I will make sure to go to Halong Bay.

CHAO TAM BIET VA HEN GAP LAI HANOI!

( good bye and see you again Hanoi! )

My adventure to Hanoi ( part 11 ) Fine dining at Madame Hien's Restaurant

2011-06-07T01:15:00.000-07:00

Madame Hien is a well-preserved French colonial house located in the French Quarter of Hanoi. It was designed by the architect who designed the Opera House and was once used as the Spanish Embassy. From what we gathered from the Maitre D' -- Madame Hien just opened a year ago. This restaurant was recommended to us by our tour guide. It was about a 10 minute walk from our hotel.

We decided to dine al fresco since the weather was cool unlike the first days when it was really hot and humid. It was just a relaxing experience. As we took our seats at the patio, they served us a bowl of nuts and prawn crackers.

The maitre d', a french woman, took our orders. She was kind enough to explain everything in detail. While waiting for our dinner to be served, I took the opportunity to walk around and take some photos of the place.

Finally---- our meal was served..

Oskie had steamed sea bass wrapped in lotus leaf.

I had soft shell crab with avocado roll. It came with tamarind sauce. It was so good!!! The crab was so crispy!! Just thinking about the food I had that night made me hungry again!!

Overall, the food and the ambience of the place was great!!!! If I go back to Hanoi, I will definitely come back to Madame Hien's.

CHAO TAM BIET VA HEN GAP LAI !

( Good Bye and see you again! )

MADAME HIEN

15 Chan Cam

Hanoi, Vietnam

phone: +84 3938 1588

BANH XEO- My version of the Vietnamese Pancake Recipe

2011-06-05T22:22:00.000-07:00

This Vietnamese Pancake recipe is an easy to make dish that originated from the city of Ho Chi Minh, formally Saigon. The secret in making this dish is in the flour that they use... RICE FLOUR ... After numerous tries --- I was able to achieve it.... Let me share the recipe with you.... This dish would be a great starter for meals or even works as a tasty snack.

INGREDIENTS:

1 3/4 cups of rice flour
coconut milk
1/4 tsp tumeric
1 scallion thinly sliced
1/4 cup plus 2 Tbs of veg. oil
1 pound of lean pork shoulder or loin ( cut into 1/4 inch thick slices )
1 pound of medium shrimp, peeled, deveined and cut in half ( lenghtwise )
1 small onion thinly sliced
1 1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper
2 1/2 cups of bean sprouts ( togue )

10 sheets of Vietnamese rice paper, sprinkled with water to soften

FOR THE GARNISH

2 tablespoons of Fish sauce ( use Thai Fish Sauce bought in supermarkets )
A handfull of Lettuce leaves
1 sprig of Mint leaves
Cucumber sliced thinly

HOW TO DO IT:

In a large mixing bowl, blend the rice flour and turmeric powder with water, then add a pinch of salt, coconut milk and spring onion. Mix well into a batter. Set aside. Your batter should be creamy not watery.

In a large frying pan ( use an 8-inch frying pan ), heat the cooking oil over a medium heat until very hot. Add pork, shrimps and onion. Stir fry for 2-3 minutes until meats are lightly cooked. Set aside.

Stir batter well and scoop a ladleful into pan - make sure you cover the whole pan with the rice mixture... like the way you prepare crepes. Wait for the bubbles to form and add bean sprouts, pork, shrimps and onions.

Cover for 5 minutes until pancake is crisp. Fold pancake in half and cook for another 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

Serve pancake with fish sauce for dipping and rice paper, lettuce, mint leaves, cucumber and pickled carrot and radish on the side.

To assemble, place a sheet of rice paper on a plate and top with a small piece of pancake and some garnishing ingredients.

Wrap and dip into mixed fish sauce before eating.

To make fish sauce -- try to buy the THAI fish sauce ( it is available in the groceries ) it is not as salty as our very own PATIS. Mix 2 tblsp. of fish sauce to 5 tblsp. water.

HAPPY COOKING EVERYONE!!!

My adventure to Hanoi ( part 10 ) Hanoi's best kept HOLE IN THE WALL restaurant

2011-06-02T16:58:00.000-07:00

CHAO MUNG DIEN HA NOI

( Welcome to Hanoi )

Vietnamese food has just voted the healthiest cuisine in the world and it is also so tasty and cheap. A general rule is to eat only where locals are eating, of course if you are new in Asia your stomach might not be too happy to try new things and do not be afraid to point at a new dish that looks good and go for it.

The way restaurants are set up in Vietnam is that each reastaurant has plastic stools, minimal decorations, their menu written in Vietnamese and pasted on the wall. Some of these hole in the wall restaurants serves just a couple of dishes that they specialize in. To the Vietnamese people -- some of the best meals are eaten in these kitchens on plastic stools with disposable chopsticks. In most tourist restaurants, they normally have a menu with everything under the sun and most the food is adapted to tourists.... in my opinion they are not as tasty as eating local style.

We asked our tour guide to take us to try out Vietnamese pancakes... Immediately he said.. we will have pancakes for lunch. I was a bit apprehensive on why should one have pancakes at lunch.

Pancakes are breakfast food. He was kind enough to explain that Vietnamese pancakes are not like those pancakes eaten for breakfast. These pancakes is a dish cooked in Southern Vietnam.. He said to just have an open mind and try the dish.... and that was what I did...

This dish is an all-time favorite in the Saigon's cooking tradition. It was very good!! BANH XEO ( that's the name of the dish ), is a deep fried crepe, with beansprouts, shrimps and bits of pork then you have to roll it in rice paper with lettuce leaf and mint then dip it in Nuoc Mam ( fish sauce).

I loved this dish so much and I asked our tour guide how to make it... I am going to try it out --- and post the recipe of this dish once I have tried it out for myself. The secret is in the flour... They use RICE FLOUR.

CHAO TAM BIET !!

My adventure to Hanoi ( Part 9 ) Walking around the Old Quarter

2011-05-30T16:57:00.000-07:00

CHAO MUNG DEN HA NOI !

( Welcome to Hanoi ! )

Today, we decided to walk around the Old Quarter of Hanoi... Hectic, noisy, chaotic are the adjectives that would describe the Old Quarter. A visit to the Old Quarter in Hanoi should rank as a MUST DO when you are in Vietnam... It is a unique experience and deserves a spot in your itinerary. According to our guide, the Old Quarter in Hanoi is over a thousand years old and even up to today it retains much of the old flavor that made the area special.

Each street was exclusive of one trade ---- so there were whole streets selling silver ware, lacquerware, handbags, clothing for both men and women, eyeglasses, paper shops and galleries. Originally -- the Old Quarter consisted of 30 streets but today there were more than 50 streets. Although the streets are short, I would recommend first time visitors allow at least 4 to 5 hours to go around....

Just wandering the streets and marveling at the activity taking place on the pavements is a joy. A good place to start your walking tour to the Old Quarter is at the end of Hoan Kiem lake. Bring a map with you because you can easily get disoriented in this area.

I decided to go to the galleries

and some small boutiques to see what they had.

I took some photos of the architecture of some buildings.

Crossing the street in the Old Quarter is an art form. Move slowly forward and keeping your eyes on the kamikaze motorbikes coming towards you. NEVER step back!!

There is no road " less travelled " in this part of town. They are loaded with scooters, motorbikes, cars and people so my advice is to watch your step all the time but be assertive when crossing the road.

The sidewalks can be just as chaotic as the middle of the street. Locals stake out their spots with small plastic stools and the wares of whatever trade they are plying. Small dogs running around. People bargaining and negotiating for goods and food.

The ambience in the Old Quarter is definitely deserves to be the number one activity on any travel in your Vietnam itinerary.

CHAO TAM BIET !

My adventure to Hanoi ( Part 8 ) Women's Museum

2011-05-27T16:52:00.000-07:00

CHAO MUNG DEN HA NOI !

( Welcome to Hanoi ! )

Despite being a patriarchal society, Vietnam still reserves a special place to honor Vietnamese women. They have built a WOMEN'S MUSEUM... and we were very lucky to see the place opened!! All the other places we visited were closed for the holidays.

The architecture of this building is simply amazing!!! Rising over the marble floor is a dome shaped ceiling modeled after a woman's breast.

Under the dome stands a pure gold statue by Nguyen Phu Cuong. Standing tall with a male child on her shoulder. It projects an impression of strength and dynamism while retaining the gentleness, femininity and beauty of the Vietnamese woman.

There was an exhibition going on at the top floor by Minh Puong, so we decided to start from the very top and work our way going down. Here are some of my favorite paintings of her exhibit.

As we walked through the Women's museum .. a noteworthy aspect that is not to be missed is the section featuring mannequins displaying the traditional dress of the 54 minority groups of Vietnam. The collection in this museum spans from from the traditional attire to its modern interpretation.

Their traditional wedding dresses..

The jewelries that they wore..

and the everyday activities of the Vietnamese women like weaving, cooking and looking after their children.

The Women's Museum is definitely a MUST SEE when you are in Vietnam!!

CHAO TAM BIET !

WOMEN'S MUSEUM

36 Pho Ly Thuong Kiet

Hanoi, Vietnam

My adventure to Hanoi ( Part 7 ) NGOAI O Restaurant- Hanoi's best kept secret

2011-05-25T20:48:00.000-07:00

CHAO MUNG DEN HANOI !!

( Welcome to Hanoi )

It was Tom, our guide's turn to bring us to a good local restaurant ... where the locals dine. He wrote down the name of the restaurant for me... it was NGOAI O Restaurant. One thing that made me want to see this place was how he described the place... It was like eating in the countryside... Upon entering the restaurant --- the decor of the place was very ethnic with the hut and bamboo furniture.

The restaurant is so small -- it had only a few tables inside.. but I noticed that the people dining were all locals... To me that was a good sign !! I was going to have good Vietnamese cuisine at very low prices. I asked our guide to do the ordering since he frequents this place with other tourists who wants to sample good Vietnamese cooking..

Before ordering our main course... they served us boiled corn and corn tea... It was my first time to taste corn tea... it was good!!

and Oskie ordered Saigon beer. I had a bottle of coke instead. They do not have COKE light nor COKE Zero in Hanoi.

Here was what we had..

Sweet and Sour grated salad with Lotus rootstock with shrimps.... I loved this!!!

Fresh spring rolls with pork. Instead of the usual fish sauce.... they gave us tamarind sauce.. The tamarind sauce is a MUST TRY!! Although I did not like the wrapper... they used lumpia wrapper instead of the rice paper which was soft.

Stewed carp fish... it looked like our " talimusak " --- a fish that you can get in Baguio.

Crispy fried soft shell crab...

Ngoai O Restaurant will be an ideal place to enjoy many traditional dishes. You must try this restaurant when you go to Hanoi.

CHAO TAM BIET!!

NGOAI O Restaurant

19 Nguyen Gia Thieu Street
Hoan Kiem District
Hanoi

My adventure to Hanoi ( part 6 ) A walking tour to Cua Bac, Citadel and the Museum of Fine Arts

2011-05-18T17:00:00.000-07:00

CHAO MUNG DEN HA NOI !!

( Welcome to Hanoi ! )

After a good night's sleep... We were ready for another day doing our walking tour around the city of Hanoi. As we left our hotel for our walking tour with Tom, the weather seemed to cool down... it was pleasant after the slight drizzle last night..

Come and join me as I walk to the places we are about to visit in PHAN DINH PING STREET.... the most beautiful street in Hanoi... This street is lined with huge acacia trees on both sides of the street.

I wanted to take a photo of the whole street but that meant I had to be in the middle of the street in order to get a wide angle shot----- there were many motorbikes on the road that day --- I could not take any shots of Phan Dinh Ping Street.

While I was walking down the street, I was trying to imagine myself---- walking down Phan Dinh Phing street watching the golden leaves fall from the acacia trees on an autumn afternoon and listening to the church bells ring..... it seemed like a perfect setting in an old war movie!!

** CUA BAC CHURCH **

Cua Bac was built in the early 1930's by a French architect, Ernest Hebrard. It was also around this time when Hebrard began his urban plan to redesign the city of Hanoi. It is one of the major churches in Hanoi. Cua Bac is officially called QUEEN OF THE CATHOLIC SAINT.

** THE CITADEL **

The Citadel was destroyed and restored many times. At present, only the North Gate of the Citadel still remains.

On its walls, are traces of bullets left by the French army attacking Hanoi.

** MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS **

This museum was founded in 1966. It displays art works and objects of the various minority groups in Vietnam. Like most museums, we cannot take photos inside the museum. They had cameras all over the place --- just to make sure no one takes photos.

I really enjoyed my visit to the Museum of Fine Arts. You will see large scrolls, ceramics, lacquerware and artifacts that date back as far as the pre-historic times. I highly recommend this museum for art lovers who are interested in Asian art and design, this is a good place to see the development of Vietnam's artistic culture!!

CHAO TAM BIET!!

My adventure to Hanoi ( part 5 ) Street food of Hanoi

2011-05-16T16:50:00.000-07:00

CHAO MUNG DEN HA NOI!!

( Welcome to Hanoi ! )

Hanoi must be the street food capital of the world. Despite the throngs of motorbikes along the narrow edge of the narrow lanes, local entrepreneurs still find space to set up a street food restaurant. Typically these comprise of several sets of miniature plastic tables and chairs, a couple of cooking stoves and a whole family running the show. It's a family affair with everyone working on something whether it is preparing the spring onions on the side or cooking the fried rice in the wok.

Despite the variety of street food available --- most places will serve only one or two dishes. If the person sitting next to you is eating something that looks appealing , just point at their meal and the job is done.

There is food being sold in every corner, and some of it is delicious and some not so... but don't be afraid to try.

Here are some photos I took while I was walking in Vietnam...

It seems that at some of the more popular street restaurants, customers will sacrifice themselves to get that tasty dish, even at the mercy of the road. I can completely understand that some foods are worth the risk!! Bread sellers plop their baked goods in the street for maximum exposure, forcing traffic to weave around them. In Vietnam... it's their way of life!!

CHAO TAM BIET !

My adventure to Hanoi ( 4 ) Visiting UNCLE HO'S Mausoleum and Museum

2011-05-13T17:03:00.000-07:00

CHAO MUNG HA NOI !

( Welcome to Hanoi ! )

Let us now walk to the HO CHI MINH Mausoleum and Museum...

The Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum was modelled after the Mausoleum of Lenin in Russia. It is located at BA DINH SQUARE--- one of the few green and unoccupied areas of Hanoi. Many important events take place at this square. The most notable event that happened at this square was on September 2, 1945 -- Ho Chi Minh read the Vietnam Independence Declaration. It was also in this square where the funeral of Ho Chi Minh was held. The building is dedicated to house Ho Chi Minh's preserved body and a place where the locals express their admiration and gratitude towards their national hero. It is popularly known among the Vietnamese as " UNCLE HO'S " Mausoleum. It was built in 1973 and finished in 1975.

The construction of this mausoleum was against the will of Ho Chi Minh. As he passed away, he wished to be cremated and his ashes to be scattered all over the country.

Visiting the Mausoleum is free of charge but their are some rules to be followed. No short skirts or tank tops are allowed. Taking photos is strictly prohibited inside the mausoleum. Visitors are not allowed to stop and hold the constant queue up as the place is constantly busy. According from the people who have gone to the mausoleum --- every year Uncle Ho's remains are sent to Russia for maintenance.. this happens around October onwards. It is best to check with your tour guide before visiting. I was not able to get inside the mausoleum -- it was closed. Vietnam was celebrating a 4-day holiday at that time. I ended up walking around the complex and moving on to the Ho Chi Minh Museum.

According to our local guide, Tom, if you will look at the roof of this museum... the architecture of the museum's roof has the shape of an opened lotus flower.

Our next stop is the One-Pillar Pagoda.. CHUA MOT COT ( that is how it is known in Vietnam ) has one of the most special structures in Vietnam.

This historic building was built during the Ly Dynasty in 1409 in honor of the goddess QUAN AM. It is a Buddhist temple constructed out of timber and perched on a single pillar of stone in the middle of a small lotus lake.

After walking all around the complex under the unbearable hot and humid weather, Tom asked us if we wanted to have some local refreshments. Something to quench our thirst. We went to a small stall and sat on those tiny plastic chairs ( they are not the regular chairs -- but those chairs that are used by children ). Please take note--- if you have a big body you will not fit in the chair )... Tom ordered our drinks... and it was iced SUGAR CANE JUICE. It was perfect for the weather that day. I asked Tom how they made this juice... he said... it was sugar cane with the skin of KUMQUAT ( later I found out -- it was our local calamansi ).... You must try their sugar cane juice with kumquat.

If you are tired of walking all day... you can get on a CYCLO -- it is another common way of getting around in Vietnam. Cylco is a special kind of bicycle with a seat at the front. It is Vietnam's answer to the tuktuk of Thailand and our tricycles here in Manila.

CHAO TAM BIET !!

( Goodbye ! )

My adventure to Hanoi ( part 3 ) Temple of Literature- The oldest university in Hanoi

2011-05-09T23:18:00.000-07:00

CHAO MUNG DEN HA NOI !

( Welcome to Hanoi! )

Today let us start our walking tour around Hanoi. It is a great place to explore on foot, there is a lot to see and do here. Hanoi lies on the banks of the Red River. Some of the human settlements found in Hanoi date back as far as the 3rd century BC.

If you are a culture vulture Hanoi has so much to offer. With a 1000- year history and many well- preserved buildings along with lush and verdant parks, Hanoi will simply keep you busy for days on end.

One of the loveliest features to this French colonial city is its many lakes and these provide many beautiful locations to rest in between venturing out in the capital's streets.

** TEMPLE OF LITERATURE - QUOC TU GIAM **

The Temple of LIterature was originally constructed in 1070 and was formerly the site of one of the oldest universities in Vietnam. Although there are numerous temples throughout the country, this is the most famous of all and is a targeted destination for many tourists who visit Vietnam. This temple is the seat of Confucian education in Hanoi. Don't miss it!

There is a feeling of calmness and serenity the moment you walk through the gate and stroll along the green-lined path, bordered by lotus ponds on each side. Another gate will greet you and usher you into a courtyard with a pond. To its left are rows and rows of turtles carved in stone. In Vietnam, the turtle is a symbol of long life and wisdom.

At the far end of the courtyard is a " shrine " for Confucius and Buddha, where many local people come and pay respect.

It is considered to be one of the country's finest sites and tourist attractions. Admission to this temple is 10,000 VND ( equivalent to $. 50 ). It is a nice walk around the area. You enter one way and come out the same way. You could easily spend an hour here just taking photos.

Around the courtyard you will find a display of bonsai, a huge bell and souvenir shops.

In my opinion, this is a " classical " place to see in Hanoi. A definite must see when you visit Hanoi.

My adventure to Hanoi ( part 2 ) A dining experience at Wild Lotus

2011-05-07T08:10:00.000-07:00

CHAO MUNG DEN HA NOI

( Welcome to Hanoi )

Since this was going to be our first dinner here in Hanoi--- I wanted to try something traditional yet trendy and chic. So we tried Wild Lotus on Nguyen Du. Wild Lotus was suggested to us by our friends, Jaqui and Boom. They were in Hanoi a week earlier with their daughters and they liked it. Jaqui told us to try out the fresh rice paper spring rolls. We decided to take Tom, our tour guide with us to Wild Lotus.

If you just look from the outside --- it looked like any other restaurant in Hanoi. It had simple carved wooden doors -- it looked so unassuming.. Upon entering Wild Lotus you will be greeted by a small pond which was tastefully done -- you will walk through a modern zen garden and climb up a flight of stairs to the main restaurant which was located on the second floor of the building. It somehow reminds you of a Spa rather than a restaurant.

Inside, the ambience of Wild Lotus is very upscale and chic. Dimly lit rooms with earth tone walls covered with stylized murals surround the tables with velvet chairs and fresh flowers on each table.

Wild Lotus serves modernized Vietnamese cuisine. So after looking at their menu.. Here was what we shared :

Rice paper spring rolls with shrimp and mango.

Deep fried spicy crab cakes

Cauliflower tempura

Duck with orange sauce

Overall, I would say that Wild Lotus is expensive by Vietnamese standards. The service, by Hanoi standards, was definitely good. The food that is served at Wild Lotus is essentially modern Vietnamese so if you are after the real Vietnamese food experience.... this is not the place to come. But if you like good food in great surroundings you can't go wrong dining at Wild Lotus.

CHAO TAM BIET

( Goodbye ! )

WILD LOTUS

52 Nguyen Du

Hanoi, Vietnam
tel. ( 04 ) 943 9342

My adventure to Hanoi ( part 1 )

2011-05-05T04:11:00.000-07:00

CHAO MUNG DEN HA NOI !

( Welcome to Hanoi )

Have you been to Hanoi?? I am sure the first thing that will enter your mind will be HALONG BAY. If you are someone like me who loves watching Amazing Race Asia, last year they had a segment on Halong Bay. From that moment ---- I wanted to go there!!! After a few months of researching on what to do in Hanoi, Vietnam... my equally adventurous friend, Oskie, and I finally decided to go and visit Hanoi. That was our next adventure..

There are no direct flights to Hanoi from the Philippines--- you will have to fly to Ho Chi Minh ( Southern Vietnam ) in order to get a connecting flight to Hanoi. Since this is my first time to go to Hanoi... I have decided to document my travel --- and put as many photos into my blogs on Hanoi. Come and follow me as I discover Hanoi...

We left Manila at 11:00pm and landed at the Tan Son Nhat International Airport at midnight. The time difference of Vietnam and Manila is 1 hour ( Manila is an hour ahead of Vietnam ). We had an overnight stay at the FIRST HOTEL ( this is a nice hotel ). Let me show you some photos I took of the hotel.

For breakfast, I decided to veer away from the usual American Breakfast which is eggs, jam, bacon and opted to have the Vietnamese breakfast. I had my first taste of Vietnamese rice noodles, steamed pork bun and some dumplings. The steamed rice rolled dumpling was very good!!

After breakfast we left the hotel to catch our flight to Hanoi. The weather was HOT and HUMID... It was cloudy -- but it did not dampen our enthusiasm.. we were going to try our best to get good shots -- rain or shine!!

Our flight to Hanoi from Ho Chi Minh was 2 hours and 15 mins. We landed at Noi Bai International Airport. Noi Bai is the biggest airport in Northern Vietnam. The airport is very modern. It is around 45 kilometers from the city center or downtown Hanoi. Approximate travel time would be 30 minutes. We met our local guide, Vuong ( I called him TOM --- ). According to Tom, Hanoi was previously known as Thang Long. It was renamed Hanoi in 1831. As you will walk around the city you will notice most of the architecture of their houses are French-inspired which gives the city a definite charm.

After our hotel check in, Tom took us to have a snack at PHO 24 which was by the Hoan Kiem lake.

creme brulee

deep fried spring rolls

We walked to the HOAN KIEM LAKE - The lake is one of the major scenic spots in Hanoi. In the middle of the lake is the Tortoise Tower. This temple was built in the 18th century. It is an easy walk around the Hoan Kiem lake.

SOUVENIRS TO BUY IN HANOI

There are a lot of t-shirts, bandanas, wall-hangings, tribal handicrafts all over the Old Quarter. You will have to use your bargaining skills in most of the shops in order to get the prices down. There are streets where you can find sunglasses, ceramics, wood carvings, rice paper greeting cards, lacquerware, silk material and if you want to have an AO DAI ( traditional women's dress in Vietnam ) -- they can finish one for you in 2 hours.

2 phrases to remember when shopping:

* Bao nhieu tian ? = " how much is this " pronounced like BOW NYU THIEN and
* Dat Qua = " too expensive " - pronounced DAT KWAH.

Here are some tips you will find very useful for your next adventure to Hanoi :

* Hanoi has 4 seasons. The best time to travel is around March thru May. The months you should avoid are June till August. Hanoi can get very HOT and HUMID.

* Bring walking shorts, dry fit shirts, a good pair of walking shoes because Hanoi is better appreciated doing a walking tour instead of riding in a van.... there is a lot to see in Hanoi.

* Sunblock, insect repellent and a hat which you will wear when you walk around.

* If you are planning to take a lot of photos -- bring SD or CF cards. They do not have those in Hanoi.

* a map of Hanoi and hire a local guide to take you around. Even before we left Manila for this adventure tour, we commissioned a young tour guide, Vuong, to meet us at the Noi Bai Airport. The rate of a local tour guide is $30.00/day.

* When you choose your hotel. Make sure your hotel is located in Hanoi's Old Quarter.

* Instead of having American Breakfast... try out their Vietnamese Breakfast.

* It is definitely more fun if you arrange your own travel plan rather than calling your travel agent and have them fix it for you. Book your ticket thru the internet --- and if possible --- avail of the web-check in. It is a lot easier once you get to the airport.

* Bring small bills instead of hundred dollar bills... Most stores do not have change. Bring dollar bills for tips.

* Learn to cross the road like a local in the busy city. You have to watch out for the bicycles and motorbikes more than the cars.. Feel free to use fellow tourists as human shields as they cross the road.

* Lastly.... have an open mind and I am sure you will ENJOY your new adventure.

CHAO TAM BIET !!

( Good bye )

A New Find in Makati- A restaurant without a name

2011-04-26T17:08:00.000-07:00

There is a new restaurant that is about to open in Makati. According to Goo Simplicialo, one of the chefs who I interviewed while we were waiting for our meal to be served, the restaurant just opened its doors to the public last April 1, 2011. It was Iggy and Cris who stumbled into this restaurant one evening while they were working late at Cinematic Studio. All the other restaurants at LRI Design Plaza Building were closed. After their dinner, they called me up and suggested that I should go and try out the new restaurant .... which doesn't have a name yet at the ground floor of the building. What got me interested in trying out this restaurant ... was --- Iggy told me ... the crew of LOLO DAD'S was there.. At first I did not believe him .. but he said... that the sous chef, Marge Villena , and chef Ariel Manuel was there inside the kitchen.

Those paintings which caught my eye were done by one of the students of AMORSOLO.

So today, after work -- Iggy, Cris, Rommel and I decided to go and have dinner at this restaurant. Iggy told me to try their Hainanese Duck Rice. He said it was really good!!

When we got there.... the place was empty... but I liked the ambience of the place immediately. It was the old RICCO RENZO restaurant under new management ( that is the reason for this restaurant not having a name yet ). I quickly looked at their menu to check out their prices. Their prices were reasonable.. and the dish that Iggy wanted me to try was not available anymore. They had instead Hainanese Chicken Rice and Hainanese Fish instead of the Hainanese Duck.

That did not dampen my appetite for this restaurant... after taking a quick look at their " very limited menu " .... Here was what we ordered:

As an appetizer we all started out with CRISPY TOFU WITH SMOKED BANGUS

Iggy had FRESH LUMPIA which had heart of Palm and wood ear mushrooms. It was served with sweet soy sauce, crushed garlic and peanut sauce.

Rommel ordered the DEEP FRIED ADOBO PAO

Cris ordered ORIENTAL BURGER

Since they were not serving Hainanese Duck Rice anymore... I ordered the BISTEK OF U. S. RIB EYE - this was very good!!! My steak was well made! It was seared on the outside but rare on the inside. I enjoyed it so much that after my meal I had to congratulate Chef Simplicialo. The meat was tender and had very little fat on it.

For dessert we all shared a CANONIGO

Didn't you all get hungry just by looking at the photos??? Let me tell you they were just as good as they looked !!! Watch out for the opening of this new restaurant....

It is located at the ground floor of LRI Design Plaza Building, Nicanor Garcia Street ( formerly Reposo ) , Makati.